Advent: Promise

Disclaimer:

I’ve been trying to write this blog post for a few days now.
Maybe it’s the travel or lack of sleep or because I had candy for two meals.
I can’t put my finger on it.
The words are tangled in my mind like last year’s Christmas lights or maybe they are hidden like Easter eggs in my Papa’s backyard.
I’ve typed and deleted and typed and deleted.
I’ve struggled to find the words and when I found them, I doubted their worth.
But here they are.
In my search for something to say (and I know, sometimes there isn’t anything to say …) I have kept the word promise at the front of my mind.
And it has been a gift to simply sit with this one word …
Promise.

.. .. ..

One of my favorite Christmas movies growing up was Jingle All The Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. They play two rival fathers, both desperately trying to locate and purchase a Turbo-Man action figure for their respective sons on a last-minute shopping spree.

It didn’t win any Oscars (I am as surprised as you are), but it did leave an impression on my young mind.

A line repeated throughout the movie is from Turbo Man, a superhero whose action figure is the most sought after item of the holiday season. With the simple press of a button you’ll hear Turbo Man say with confidence: Always keep your promises.

As you can imagine, this line is spoken again and again, driving these fathers to get their sons a Turbo Man action figure. These four words frustrate them to their core as they seek the one thing they believe will make them heroes in the eyes of their children.

The word promise is echoed throughout Jingle All The Way, just as it is during the season of Advent.

Although, God’s promise is slightly more life-altering and beautiful than that of a popular toy.

God promises us salvation through His Son.

When I read the Bible, and not just the New Testament, I see how the beauty of promise is woven through every line.

Abraham flips his life upside down believing in a promise spoken by God.

Simeon acts out of faithfulness to God’s promise.

Mary sings for joy as she waits for the promise to be seen.

Joseph remains as he trusts the promise foretold.

John speaks of a future hope as he lives out the promise.

Over and over we see the shining power of promise in the faith of followers and those anticipating the arrival of Love.

But a promise can be frustrating.

More often than not a promise invites us to trust, wait, and be patient.

Trust, wait, and patience.

Three things I am not very good at, but three things we remember and celebrate throughout the days leading up to Christmas.

As I’ve kept the word promise rolling around in my head over the last few days I began to see how it takes faith to hold tight and trust a promise.

After all, we’ve been hurt by broken promises and have hurt others by breaking promises.

But a promise made by God is unlike a promise made by man, for there is absolute certainty in what comes from God.

His word, His forgiveness, His love, His promises.

All of these are certain.

Yet, sometimes I find myself hesitant to fully lean into the certainty He offers.

Maybe it’s fear.
Maybe it’s control.
Maybe it’s selfishness.

But I don’t want to miss the beauty of a promise because of my desire to hold the world in my hands.

I want to respond to the promises of God like Simeon, Mary, and John.

Tonight I’ll remind myself to look up and remember how God’s promises are for certain.
I’ll trust.
I’ll wait.
I’ll even, God help me, be patient.