God keeps every promise he makes.

“Adonijah, David and Haggth's son, was full of conceit and praised himself incessantly. 'I am going to be the next king!' Adonijah then arranged chariots with horsemen and also 50 men to run in front of his chariots. Adonijah's father, David, never questioned his actions.” (1 Kings 1:5-6a)

David was quick to indulge the desires of his kids and failed to confront them when they were out of line. As a result, several of his children struggled with chasing after strong desires. Like David with Bathsheba, they were quick to take what they wanted with no consideration for others around them.

Amnon saw Tamar his sister, desired her, and then raped her. His son Absalom tried to steal the people's hearts and the kingdom from out from under David. Then his next son in line, Adonijah, tried to proclaim himself as king.

Somehow they thought being king and having all that they desired would fill them. Rather than desire the relationship that David had with his God, they desired his kingdom and pursued this. How many people pursue getting ahead and being promoted thinking it will somehow fill them only to find they are left feeling more empty, lonely and burdened. When we are not called to something, it will only burden us down.

Adonijah had a claim to the throne because he was the next in line of David's sons. Given this, he reached out for his desires and stepped into the position of King. However, Solomon had the promises of God through his father that he would be king in David's place.

David had said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God.  But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.  But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.  He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ (1 Chronicles 22:7-10)

This promise of Solomon ruling and God establishing an everlasting kingdom that came through Nathan the prophet. When it came time to act, David needed to be confronted by Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet to be reminded of the promises and step into them.

We all need people in our lives to surround us, speak the truth to us(even correcting us at times), encourage us and pray for us. Through David's son Solomon, God would build His temple, give peace in the land and begin to establish his lineage of rule.

Isaiah 9:6-7 proclaims, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Luke says in Acts 13:22-23, “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:”

Even though it would have seemed that Adonijah had claimed the throne, God had other plans. Proverbs 30:5 says that God keeps every promise he makes. God is faithful to fulfill all His promises. He is also faithful in answering prayer.

God told Abram in Genesis 15:13-14, “God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.'

This promise was fulfilled when God sent Moses and Aaron to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt after 400 years of oppression. In all these situations, God used regular people who sought after Him as part of His plan to bring His promises to pass. Even in their frailty, like David not being good at correcting his kids or Moses stuttering and feeling inadequate, God manages to use them and bring His purposes forth.

He is faithful and knows what we need, even when we don't. I can't imagine that Moses would have dreamed that God would use him to fulfill his promise out of Genesis 15:13-14, until standing before the burning bush and hearing God speak to Him about it.

I was looking back to journals of mine some years ago when I was an empty nester and had much more time to spend with God. At the time, I journaled and asked God, “How do I use my time wisely? How do I love better?” 

I then wrote, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.”

I had a lot of time to spend praying and reading. I read a lot of books on how to live life more fuller, pray better, and love others better. I then went on to write, “I don't want to read another book, God. I want to actually live the bible in the way I love others.”

God also gave me a verse about my husband at the time to pray out of Isiah 42:16, “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”

Now when I look back, I have to smile as I can see how he had done all of this in my life. My husband and I had never imagined at the time that we would be adopting two young boys. It was this new path that God has guided the two of us on.

Ironically, rarely do I have free minutes to read a book. Most the time when I get up early, my littlest is up a few minutes later. And at night, where I used to have some time to just talk with God and pray, I am now singing my littlest to sleep or listening to his older brother read.

When I feel unsettled about not having all this time anymore to read, pray and just talk with God, He has been reminding me of Micah 6:8, “ And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

Another promise that I felt God speak to me some time ago that I saw Him bring to pass, and again just recently is out of 1 Zec 2:5-9, 14-15a.   

Lord, I am so amazed how You have brought Your promises through in my life over and over again.   I am grateful that You guide my path.  Makes me think of Proverbs 16:9, "A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps."  Let our steps be directed by You in the days ahead.  Help us to rest and trust in Your faithfulness even when it seems like things are not going the way we thought they would. And most of all, let us be a part of Your larger story.