Broken Promises

I had one of those weekends. 

On Saturday, I had a 9am soccer game here in Madison.  For the record, my sins shouldn't count before 10am on Saturday because...well, because it's 9am on Saturday!  And also for the record, when Jesus said to love your neighbor, I'm pretty sure he wasn't thinking about referees...

Since I am well aware of my personal weaknesses on the field, I took a few minutes on the trip to the game to pray.  "God, help me act like a Christian no matter what happens today.  Help me win with humility, lose with dignity, and play with character.  Help me to worship you well today as I play soccer."

Within 15 minutes, I was on the field.  And within 17 minutes...well, let's just say things didn't go so well.

On the trip home, I was marveling at how weak I can be.  I saw temptation coming, I prayed about it, but one bad call and I was doing the very stuff I promised God I wasn't going to do.

The saddest part is that I preached to our school students just 24 hours before my game about being joyful all the time and knowing that God uses bad referees and overly-aggressive opponents to grow our character.  I'm glad none of the school kids were at the game.  For once, we can thank God that teenagers don't get up before 11:30 on Saturdays...

I wonder if you've ever done what I just did in your relationship with God--Made a promise and then broken it.  Maybe you've promised to leave pornography behind.  Or perhaps you've sworn to improve your patience.  Maybe God has heard you promise to give up lying for good this time...and this time...and this time, seriously, for good!

If you haven't seen your need for confession, make God a promise not to sin today and see what happens.

But I have to tell you that that's why I love Christmas.  Christmas is really about the promises God made to us.  For centuries, God had been making promises about our Savior--where he would be born, what he would do, the things he would say.  For years, God's people waited for this Savior to come, wondering at times if God was going to keep his promises--

Would the Christ be born in Bethlehem?

Would God send a child to destroy the terrible evil the devil brought into our world?

Would he actually be born of a virgin?

Would he really suffer in our place so God could be just and forgiving at the same time?

Yes...yes...yes...and yes!  And that's why I love this story.  A true account from the God of truth, the One who never breaks his promises to us.

I've heard this story before.  When I was a little Sunday School-er back in the mid-80's, I memorized the words for our Christmas services--"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were TERRIFIED!"  Yes, the story is familiar for me.  Perhaps you can say the same.  If not, I pray you can hear it this year for the very first time (click on the home page link for chances to do just that).

But even for those of us familiar with the story, God's faithfulness never ceases to amaze.  A child, just like he said.  In Bethlehem, just like he said.  Of a virgin, just like he said.  Born for us, just like he said.  Headed for a cross, just like he said.  Rose on the third day, just like he said.  Making us holy in the sight of God, just like he said.

I love how the Apostle Paul expressed God's faithfulness, "[We have] a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light," (Titus 1:2-3).

So, I pray that you keep your promises this Christmas.  But most of all, I pray that you can't get enough of the God who never breaks his.

Merry Christ-mas,

Pastor Mike