Room of Promise
One morning as I sat in my living room I was looking out at all the new snow and I began to take in the moment. The Christmas tree was all lit up, Brock’s tree was decorated with memories, stockings were hung by the fireplace, the scent of cinnamon from the scented pine cones filled the air and I was warm and comfortable drinking a cup of hot coffee. It was just perfect and I felt right at home.
Then I realized that I had stood at that same window exactly one year before looking out feeling so displaced, so exhausted, so fearful and discouraged. It felt like a cheap motel, smelt like cats and there were spiders everywhere. It was the same house, same view from the window and it was still me looking out. What changed? Promise had changed it all.
I love the definition of promise because it describes God perfectly. Promise means a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, by one; an express assurance on which expectation is to be based.
A year before God had told me to move and that He would provide beyond my wildest dreams. That first night in the house I could not even imagine sitting down on anything with a cup of hot coffee, let alone feeling like this place was home. But He had declared something that would be done and He is faithful.
In the dictionary under the description, an express assurance on which expectation is to be based, are the words promise that an enemy will not win. Isn’t that incredible! So many times over the last year the enemy tried to discourage me and at times did. But every time that I would read my Sunshine Prophesy I was reminded of God’s promise.
The definition of assurance is a positive declaration intended to give confidence. Examples listed under the definition are; he received assurances of support for the project and he gave his assurance that the job would be done. The definition of expectation is the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
When you put these all together you get: “When God says something it will happen. The enemy will try to discourage you, but he will not win. God will finish what He started and throughout the process He will provide His presence and full support. My role is to trust and obey, looking forward to His promises being fulfilled.”
Those promises being fulfilled will be in His perfect timing. I always want them now, but if He answered everything immediately I would miss out on the excitement of expectation, what is He going to do next? Waiting is not always exciting. In fact it can be stressful or even painful. Promise says that it is based on the expectation of assurance. Based means the bottom support of anything; that on which a thing stands or rests.
Standing on the promises of God is the best possible place to be especially if you are feeling displaced, exhausted, fearful and discouraged. Each night when I walk into my living room and look out the window, there is a smile on my face as I think back to that first night. What a difference He has made. So many nights along the way I would see the changes that were being made in the house and in me. The room that began as a test of my trust has become a room of promise. God knows what He’s doing and His thoughts for me are good. “Thank you Lord, You are so faithful!”
My prayer
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me
Father, Thank you for moments to sit down and see all that You have done. Moments to remember the journey and Your faithfulness. Thank you for opportunities to rest in Your assurance and wait with expectation of what You will do and how You will do it. Help me to trust in Your promises. You are faithful Lord! Amen.
Where does my help come from?
Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1: 6 (NLT)
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you,
will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”