POWER OF PROMISES
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Jeremiah 33:1-18
12/31/2000
INTRO:
One of those exciting moments as a young child is when
your parents promise you something special. The moment
the promise was made everything was different . . . even
though the actual fulfillment of the promise was a
ways off. It had the power of changing the entire
atmosphere for the moment, and even your behavior.
There was anticipation, and sometimes there was even
greater obedience when the promise was conditional . . .
like "I promise . . . if you are good."
ILLUS:
My five-year-old grandnephew was obviously worried as
he looked down the long aisle of the church where his
aunt was to be married the following day. His
grandmother had an idea. "I think I'll give a prize to
the person who does the best job tomorrow," she told
him. We were all holding our breath the next day, but
when it was time, the ring bearer performed without a
hitch. When his grandmother told him he had won the
prize, he was both excited and relieved. "I was pretty
sure I had it," he admitted, "until Aunt Dana came in
wearing that white dress and the horn was blowing.
Then I started thinking -- she might win!" -- Barbara
Lee, Goldsboro, North Carolina. Christian Reader,
"Rolling Down the Aisle."
The interesting thing about a promise is the power it
has to change us long before any of the promise is
even realized. Because a promise gives something to
look forward to, to hope for, to anticipate, it
actually holds great power in the present without even
being realized until much later.
ILLUS:
Surely one of the most daring of all adventurers was
Christopher Columbus. He was sailing where no man had
ever sailed before. His crew urged him to turn back.
They threatened mutiny if he did not. Still Columbus
stayed his course. We must have the courage to set a
goal and then stay our course, no matter what others
may think or say. -- Robert C. Shan ...
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Jeremiah 33:1-18
12/31/2000
INTRO:
One of those exciting moments as a young child is when
your parents promise you something special. The moment
the promise was made everything was different . . . even
though the actual fulfillment of the promise was a
ways off. It had the power of changing the entire
atmosphere for the moment, and even your behavior.
There was anticipation, and sometimes there was even
greater obedience when the promise was conditional . . .
like "I promise . . . if you are good."
ILLUS:
My five-year-old grandnephew was obviously worried as
he looked down the long aisle of the church where his
aunt was to be married the following day. His
grandmother had an idea. "I think I'll give a prize to
the person who does the best job tomorrow," she told
him. We were all holding our breath the next day, but
when it was time, the ring bearer performed without a
hitch. When his grandmother told him he had won the
prize, he was both excited and relieved. "I was pretty
sure I had it," he admitted, "until Aunt Dana came in
wearing that white dress and the horn was blowing.
Then I started thinking -- she might win!" -- Barbara
Lee, Goldsboro, North Carolina. Christian Reader,
"Rolling Down the Aisle."
The interesting thing about a promise is the power it
has to change us long before any of the promise is
even realized. Because a promise gives something to
look forward to, to hope for, to anticipate, it
actually holds great power in the present without even
being realized until much later.
ILLUS:
Surely one of the most daring of all adventurers was
Christopher Columbus. He was sailing where no man had
ever sailed before. His crew urged him to turn back.
They threatened mutiny if he did not. Still Columbus
stayed his course. We must have the courage to set a
goal and then stay our course, no matter what others
may think or say. -- Robert C. Shan ...
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