I have been journeying with Jesus for almost 25 years. I still can't believe that it has been so long. Not because I didn't expect Jesus to keep loving me, although that is amazing too, but because I can't believe that I am that much older. It's hard to believe that it has been more than two decades since Jesus broke down the walls of sin and set me free my life of servitude to it.
When I talk to people about faith and life with Jesus the question that repeats so often is why. Why do you keep believing? After everything that I have seen, after all that I have endured or bore witness to, why do I still believe?
It's a valid question. It's reasonable to ask it in a day in age when loyalty to anything is seen as weak, foolish or an insatiable desire for comfort.
Let me tell you, 25 years of walking with Jesus on this journey of life is far from weakness, I have never been stronger because he is my strength. This journey is far from foolish, I cannot tell you how much my life makes more sense because of Jesus. And seriously, the life of a Jesus follower is far from comfortable.
I keep walking with Jesus because he keeps his promises.
Among a myriad of other reasons which I will talk about in future posts, a God who keeps his promises is a God that I can trust. Unlike so many people that have surrounded me, I can be sure that Jesus will never go anywhere and will always do as he says he will do.
Over 25 years he has kept the promise he gave to Joshua in chapter 1 which is an echo of the promise of Deuteronomy 31:
". . . I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. . . Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1: 5b, 9)
God promised Joshua as he had promised Moses (Exodus 3-4) that he would be with him. Just as God was with Moses, so he was with Joshua, so he has been with everyone that acts justly, loves mercy and walks humbly with him. I have striven to be the man that God calls me to be because of his great love and he has never left me nor forsaken me.
I still make mistakes. But in his love my heavenly Father searches me out, finds me under my bed and reaches out to care for me in my hurt and tears.
I still stumble and fall. But by his grace, he picks me up and compassionately mends my brokenness, brushes me off and we keep on going.
I still believe, I still walk with Jesus because he keeps his promises, time after time. I faithfully believe that he will forever. I can trust this because he has proven it in the darkness and hurt as he has in the good days and amazing times.
God keeps his promises.
