Monday Reflection – November 15, 2021

Monday Reflection – November 15, 2021
God’s Faithful Promises

Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places, and replanted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it. Ezekiel 36:36

As humans, we many times treat with the promises of others with scepticism. Thus we often say things that trivialize promises such as, ‘A promise is a comfort to a fool’. Such scepticism is sometimes caused by the bad experiences of the past where others have failed to fulfill promises that they have made. The truth is that some persons rush to make promises, some not considering whether they can fulfill such promises, and some even knowing that they cannot fulfill same. We make promises ever so often, not just by saying, ‘I promise’, but when we surrender our lives to Christ, when we dedicate our children, when we are being ordained or commissioned to church leadership, when we are getting married, when we recommit our lives to Christ etc, we make promises.

In the midst of mistrust for promises made and unfulfilled promises, we have a God who makes promises and keeps them all. In Ezekiel 36, God offers hope to the people of Israel by establishing a new Covenant with His people and the land. God offers eight promises – to renew the land of Israel; to establish a new covenant for the renewal of the people of Israel; to cleanse filthy Israel; to gather scattered Israel; to spiritually renew Israel; to bless the land and her agriculture; to restore the desolate places; and to restore their relationship.

Today’s Watchword reveals that God was not just doing His restorative work for the sake of Israel, but that His actions would be a powerful testimony to a world that was watching. The nations around that are left will witness and know assuredly that God has rebuilt, replanted and restored. The full work of the new covenant would proclaim the greatness of Yahweh. The results of the restoration would lead to the repentance of the people and the return of all the prosperity which through sin they had forfeited. It would also mean a renewal of their witness to the nations round about of the power, grace and love of God.

When God acts in our lives, it is not just for our benefit, but that through us God will be seen and heard and believed. There are many people who ridicule the church today and the people who are in it. Many who have nothing to do with God. Some are at this position because of our shameful actions and attitudes that have defamed the name of God. Whatever the reason, God will not sit by and allow His name to be stained. God intervenes and sometimes interrupt our situations so that His integrity and character remains intact.  When God acts, all witness that He is at work. It is no wonder that the verse ends, “I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.” To remove all doubt and to assure the trust of His people, God gives a solemn oath regarding these promises.

We who represent God ought to be faithful to our promises to God and others, so that the world may see God through us. Yet, in our many failures, God shows Himself real and faithful to the world so that all will know that He is sovereign and true. God’s promises are trustworthy, because God is trustworthy, and God honours His word above His name (Psalm 138:2).

Jermaine Gibson