Some stories are worth repeating. They are the stories that are rooted deeply within our souls. They linger in our hearts to remind us of the goodness of God. They are meant to be passed down, not because they are good stories to tell, but because the stories express the love language of God.
A good story expresses His faithfulness and His power. It overcomes the impossible, and reveals His heart. That’s the case with my story. It is a story about a promise made, and a promise kept. For more details you can read all about it in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette newspaper archives, entitled “Pray Like Daniel.”
In short, my promise came during the summer of 2020. I was fund raising for my nonprofit business that has since closed. Like most small nonprofits, during the height of the 2020 pandemic, resources were low. Most donors restricted their giving to larger nonprofits, for larger impacts. And, due to our size, it goes without saying that, we lacked money to respond to an unforeseen pandemic.
It was during these trying times that I contacted a vice president of a well-known Arkansas company. After our conversation, the VP liked the proposal and asked me to submit a formal request. He was warm and his conversation felt light with a strong get-to-know-you style. We talked a few additional times, and he assured me that the funding was a matter of paperwork.
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Suddenly, there was silence for a few months. I left messages without receiving any return responses. Weeks later I received a rejection letter, saying thanks, but no thanks. It came as a total surprise. It wasn’t like I haven’t received dozens of rejection letters before, but this was different.
Somehow, our conversation felt like it was a promise made from God. So, rejection letter or not, I made up my mind that if God promised it, He would keep His promise.
After several persistent phone calls, I finally reached the VP’s secretary who informed me that the VP had unexpectedly passed away. It broke my heart. During the short time that I got to know him, it was obvious that he was a kind person.
Maybe it was the secretary’s soothing voice, but she told me not to worry and I believed her. She shared my story with the appropriate people. And, within two weeks, I received a check in the mail. I was right! A promise made by God would surely be kept in spite of the circumstances.
So, hear me out! I am not saying that I received the money because of persistence; although, scripture tells us to persist in prayer, Luke 11:8. I am not even saying that there’s something special about me. Quite the opposite. I am an imperfect person, unworthy to be called a child of God.
Throughout my life I have broken God’s laws for which I had to repent. But, in spite of my flaws, God is a promise keeping God, who can work through imperfect people.
This notion is supported by scripture, which mentions an individual named Abram. Like me and you, he was imperfect. He was an ordinary man, living an ordinary life. But one day, Abram faced a life-changing decision. Should he follow God’s call to leave his family, country, and false beliefs or should he stay?
In order to do so, Abram had to demolish a roadblock revealed to us in Joshua 24:2. The scripture states, “Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived east of the Euphrates River; and they worshiped other gods.” Those last five words, “and they worshipped other gods,” made a barrier that stood between Abram and the Promise Keeping God. Would Abram continue to trust in false gods or would he trust God?
Steeped in tradition and customs, historians tell us that the head of the household was the patriarch of the entire family. This meant that Terah, Abram’s father, who worshiped other gods, had full authority and determined how the family would worship. Abram’s family could ostracize him if he altered his beliefs. But, worshiping false gods is a deal breaker for God. Exodus 34:14 tells us “for you shall not worship any other god, because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
Abram had to be removed from this environment and belief before God could use him.
As life would have it, Terah died. “Now the Lord said to Abram, go from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you into a great nation. And I will bless you, and make your name great. And you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you. And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you, all the families of the earth will be blessed” Genesis 12:1-3.
Amazingly, against all odds and customs, Abram went. He believed God.
It was Abram’s yes that led this imperfect man on the adventure of his life. Abram’s encounters included God fulfilling a promise He made to Abram and Sarah of having a child (Genesis 21), which led to millions of descendants that formed many nations. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham making his name great, Genesis 17:5. And, ultimately, God linked Abraham’s lineage to Jesus — Galatians 3:16.
This is the power of your yes to God. It doesn’t matter how wide or high your barriers may be. You may have a 25-year prison sentence. You may have lived a life of prostitution. Or, you may be a habitual liar. It doesn’t matter. By accepting God’s invitation, you can break free of your past and reset your destiny.
Brenette Wilder, formerly of Altheimer, Ark., is a blogger at wordstoinspire105953116.wordpress.com and author of Netted Together, https://nettedtogether.org.
Editor’s note: Pastors, ministers or other writers interested in writing for this section may submit articles for consideration to shope@pbcommercial.com or shope@adgnewsroom.com. Please include your phone number and the name and location of your church or ministry. Writers should have a connection to Southeast Arkansas.