The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. (Ps. 145:13)
Picking up that phone was one of the hardest things I had ever done as a pastor. “Mom passed away last night,” Debbie told me yesterday, with ragged breath full of anguish. I told her I’d get back to her after I looked at my schedule. Though I made a promise to perform her mother’s funeral before I left the church a year ago, it just wasn’t going to be possible now. I had to go back on my word and in the process, hurt this family.
Everyone at some point experiences the sting of unfulfilled promises; it is simply one common aspect of the human experience. The good news is that God never fails to fulfill promises he has made! He meets the needs of his creation and even satisfies their desires (vv. 15–16). We can always trust the Lord because he sets the ultimate example for faithfulness.
Ultimately, Debbie and her family understood, and they forgave me for not being able to come. When I reflect on that exchange, however, I will never be able to shake the feeling of shame for letting them down. Thankfully we worship a God who has made many wonderful promises to us. We must put our trust in God first and lean deeply into his promises, knowing that he will never let us down.
Trust in the promises of God.
Chris McFadden is a doctoral student at Wesley Seminary and an ordained minister, serving Lakin Wesleyan Church in Kansas. He is married to Suzanne and has two beautiful daughters.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
