Rachael Newham

“All your promises are yes and amen”

It’s the refrain of a popular worship song, and I can’t get that line out of my head.

Because for me at least, it has raised some unbearable questions.

What happens when life feels as if we have no promises? When it feels like our promises have been broken?

It’s struck me over the past couple of weeks that I (and I suspect many others) have forgotten that God’s promises are not our wishes.

I wish my grandparents didn’t have dementia.

I wish we hadn’t lost our baby.

But God hasn’t promised us a life without pain in this world – and there lies the problem.

We remember the hook of the song and songs like it; that His promises are yes and amen, but it’s all too easy to gloss over the verses.

The verses remind us that the promises of God are rooted in His character.

We are promised the Father of kindness, Giver of mercy, Beautiful saviour, Blessed redeemer.

These are our promises – not that life will be easy or pain won’t interrupt our lives – but that our God is greater.

Scripture doesn’t promise anyone an easy life – but it promises God’s presence.

Just one of the verses that promises this is found in Deuteronomy 31:6.

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

The promise is that God will never leave us, never abandon us.

And to that, it’s yes and amen.