As a kid, I can remember trying to pit my parents’ words against each other.
“Hey Dad, can I go to Annette’s house after the volleyball game?”
“What’d your mom say?”
“She asked me what you said.”
In reality, what my mom really said was this, “I’ll say yes if your dad says yes, and you’ve gotten all your homework done before the game.”
I just changed the wording a little bit, that’s all.
I remember my dad saying to me later, “Don’t you dare change the wording to suit you. I want to give you things that bring you joy, but you can’t manipulate my words.” And I wonder… Do we do that with God, too?
God says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He WILL make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:6, emphasis mine).
He says, “Those who trust in the Lord WILL find new strength…WILL soar high on wings like eagles… WILL run and not grow weary… WILL walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT (emphasis mine).
There are many verses of promise I could list where God says He will do this or that but, in our humanness, we do the trick we learned to do as kids. We change the wording to suit ourselves. We believe God CAN more than we believe God WILL.
God can make my paths straight! God can renew my strength. He can make me soar high on wings like eagles. He can help me run and not grow weary. He can help me walk and not faint.
Yes, it’s the truth. But here’s what I hear again from my Heavenly Father: “Don’t you dare change the wording to suit you. Find joy and hope in My words. I WILL do what I say I will do.”
My faith is little when I only believe God can when He has promised He will.
Lord, increase my faith. Help me see You in all Your power, knowing You want to do and will do for me what You have promised. Thank You for the joy and hope contained within these promises. Amen.
