[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2025]
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.
Psalm 119 v49 [NKJV]
This extract from the psalmist’s prayer encourages us to refer back to God’s promises when we pray; that in turn requires us to know what God has promised. The NIV identifies over 200 references to God’s promises; to individuals in particular circumstances, to the nations of Israel and Judah or to those who follow him in faith. How many can you recall?
No doubt, many of us are familiar with the promise that God made in response to Solomon’s prayer of dedication after the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem some 3,000 years ago.
… if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7 v14 [ESVUK]
However, the verse above is not a ‘stand-alone’ verse, it continues from the preceding verse which describes circumstances that are familiar to us today:
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, …
2 Chronicles 7 v13 [ESVUK]
Drought, famine and disease are widespread; in modern times they are often attributed to global warming but the real cause may be mankind’s spiritual decline, causing creation to groan.[1] God promised healing for the land but the promise is conditional upon his people taking their relationship with him seriously. These verses tell us of what steps are necessary for this promise to be fulfilled. Only when we obey them can we expect God to intervene.
Perhaps one of the best-known of God’s promises is “whoever believes in him [his son] shall not perish but have eternal life”.[2] This is basis on which we can claim his other promises.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5 v14 [NIVUK]
Does this mean that God will ignore those requests which are not in accordance with his will? How do we know whether our requests are indeed in accordance with God’s will? We should first, like Solomon, pray for wisdom to discern the will of God and then examine the motive for praying. Jesus himself gave us a reason for our prayers “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son”.[3]
Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1928) wrote some words that have helped many believers find hope and reassurance:
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
References:
[1] Romans 8:22
[2] John 3:16
[2] John 14:13
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys