Buried Promises

by May 16, 2023Devotional

Guest Post by Abigail Hamilton

Has God ever made you a promise that He hasn’t kept?

“Oh, it sounds awful when you put it that way, Abigail,” you might say. But really, has God ever given you a promise and the years have passed and nothing has happened? Everything seems to just get worse.

The clock ticks. And with every day of you seeing no hope, you start to shovel dirt on top of your promise. Doubts. Discouragement. Unbelief. Pain. And before long, the promise you once held so dear is now buried. Sometimes it remains buried for so long you even forget God made you a promise. Then God might bring it back out, remove the dirt, and tell you to grab a hold. But how can you?

“Look at the stars, Abraham. How many do you see?”

“Millions, God. More than I can even count.”

“Abraham, that’s how many descendants you are going to have.”

How do you think Abraham felt? A wonderful promise! Was it just too good to be true?

I can just imagine Abraham talking with Sarah.

“Last night as I looked up at the stars. He promised me again, Sarah.”

“Who? God? You know that sounds real good and all, Abraham but… everything’s against it. Are you sure you heard God’s voice? Really sure? I know you’ve really wanted a child too. Well, maybe you’ve just worked yourself up into believing this promise was for us.”

Have you been there? Have you ever laughed inside your tent as people shouted outside telling you the promise was going to come to pass. Not laughing because you were humored. Laughing out of pain, as the hot tears of anguish course down your face.

You think to yourself probably what Sarah thought, “Really? A child. No, no. You have told me this promise was going to happen for years. And look? Where’s the baby? Where are all those descendants? I can’t even grab a hold any more. I can’t even believe. My laughter is gone. My joy has vanished.”

But my friends, it’s impossible for God to lie.

That promise that was made to Abraham that God witnessed over and over to him that it indeed was his. The author of Hebrews tells us that God swore by Himself to Abraham that this promise would come to pass. Not only is it impossible for God to lie about His promises, He said that He was our refuge to flee into. He was the anchor that we could hope in. The anchor that is “both sure and stedfast.”

Isaac was born.

Everything said it was impossible. Even nature said it was impossible. But God had made a promise. That no matter how deep that promise got buried, He had still promised.

Where’s your promise? Are you trusting in the Lord, still claiming it in His name? Or has it become too painful? Does it mock you? Have you with hot tears buried it in your backyard? Do you rest in the fact that your faith has been damaged by past promises you felt weren’t kept?

Peter says, “Whereby are given us exceeding great and precious promises…” What? To look too good to be true? For us just to admire them and walk on our way? No! They are there to claim. He continues, “That by these ye might be PARTAKERS of the divine nature…”

I don’t care how long it’s been since God’s given you that promise. Go. Go dig up your promise. Go look at the stars. Count them. Thank Him. Do you realize that from the time He’s given you that promise until now He’s been working behind the scenes on the other end. Trust Him. Believe Him. Lay hold on what God’s given you.

He won’t take back one promise He’s given to us

He won’t let us down after lifting us up

You can take Him at His word

In His name you can trust

He won’t take back one promise He’s given to us

-Kirk Talley

2 Comments

  1. Roberta Sarver

    Thank you for sharing these thoughts, Abigail.

    • Elizabeth Hamilton

      I am so happy to share!