…then buy a toaster! This is a quote from Clint Eastwood. I am not sure if it came from a line of dialogue in a movie of his or from a book that he wrote or if it is something that he said off the cuff at someplace, sometime. However, I heard it a long time ago and it often makes me chuckle. Lately, its meaning has came crashing in on me.

The other day, I heard from my son’s mother that my 14 year old son has expressed an interest in becoming a pilot. This is the first time that I have heard him express an interest in ANY profession. I was very excited and I could not wait to share this news with people at church. When I was there an older woman asked me how my son was doing and I told her the good news. However, I realized that I was sharing this news with a woman who shares with the congregation every week that her grandson is in such intensive medical care that she will never know that excitement that I felt right then with her grandson (though she probably was able to feel that with her children and her other grandchildren). I was quite embarrassed.

It certainly made me stop a minute and remind myself that very little of what we think makes life on Earth good, is guaranteed. We are not guaranteed good health. We are not guaranteed good relationships. We are not guaranteed comfort. We are not guaranteed happiness. We are not even guaranteed tomorrow.

However, the Lord does guarantee us some things. There are many books which list God’s promises from the Bible. I have one which I reference frequently. Among my favorite promises in God’s Word is the fact that to be filled with the Spirit is to be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Also, that He will never leave or forsake me. This is mentioned in several places in the Bible, including Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5.  Also, I cling to the promise about God caring about my physical needs as promised in Matthew 6:25-26.

Now I realize that these promises and many more seem like just spiritual promises. especially when you consider the problems of the world.  There are many “religious” people who do not seem full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. I do not really think they are “full of the Spirit”. There are many times when you may feel that you are alone. I remind myself that God’s presence is a fact and that my feelings can lie to me. Also, there are people of faith who are hungry and have physical needs that are not met. People like Paul and millions of other faithful people have even experienced physical death. Even Jesus experienced physical wants that were not met.

So to address Clint Eastwood’s famous and humorous line, God’s promises in the Bible have outlasted Sears’ guarantees or Bed, Bath, and Beyond’s and even Kmart’s guarantees. Sometimes the answers from God as He works His plan for us and the rest of His creation are “not yet”, “in a way”, “trust me!”, or even just “No”.  All of these attempts to put words in the mouth of God require faith in God’s goodness and that He is even there to hear it, but that is the God that Jesus spoke of. That is the same God that Jeremiah and the other prophets spoke of as recorded in the Bible. I cannot tell you if that is enough of a guarantee for you. That is only something you can decide upon. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
 I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

—————————————————————————W.