When my brother turned 10, our uncle gave him an old model aeroplane he’d made of balsa wood. Although it didn’t have a motor anymore, it had a wingspan of more than a metre and it was fun to see him take a run up, throw it as hard as he could and watch it fly—then gently glide—back to the ground. As a five-year-old, I was so jealous. I really wanted a plane too, so I asked my uncle. “When you turn 10, I’ll give you a plane too,” he promised. I never forgot. Each birthday was a step closer to my very own plane. Finally, I turned 10. Boy, was I excited as I ran down to my uncle’s house. My excitement quickly turned to disappointment when I discovered that there was no plane for me. Unlike me, who held on to that promise, my uncle had completely forgotten. I believe he had good intentions, but over time he simply forgot about it.
Sometimes in life we fail to keep our promises, often unintentionally, creating feelings of hurt, anger or rejection. We are human, and this is part of our nature. Yet one truth remains: we can always rely on the unbreakable promises of God.
The Bible is filled with promises God has made to each of us.
God’s promises are tied directly to His unchanging character—faithful, steadfast, righteous. So, when He says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned”, the promise isn’t that life will always be easy–it’s that you never have to face the tough times alone. The beauty of this promise is in God’s presence: I will be with you! Trials will not be absent, but God will be present within them.
We are never guaranteed wealth, health or constant happiness. Instead, Jesus spoke of an abundant life. Timothy Keller captured beautifully what this means: “Jesus Christ did not suffer so that you would not suffer. He suffered so that when you suffer, you’ll become more like Him. The Gospel does not promise you better life circumstances; it promises you a better life” (The Reason for God, 2022).
David Potter is the South Pacific Division associate secretary.
