Fear not ... for I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, And my blessing on your offspring
(Isaiah 44:2, 3)

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel
And his redeemer, the Lord of Hosts;
"I am the first and I am the last;
Besides Me there is no god."
(Isaiah 44:6)

We are a people who love promises. We listen for them; we seek them out; and we save them up, but we do not trust them.

We buy appliances with guarantees. Yet more often than not, we discard the guarantee with the box. We know that the appliance will not be permanent and that there will probably be a loophole in the guarantee.

Our life is filled with implicit promises. If you work hard, you will be a success. Yet, many who work hard stand in food stamp li…