Have you ever?

As a kid my cousins and i made a promise to each other, that we would always stick together, no matter what. Each of us, at that point, had experienced divorce and moving and other events that disrupt the easiness of life for any and all young kids. So we banded together. United in our desire to help each other through the choppy waters of transition and change, and we did. But with any promise, there is a chance, a risk that someone will break the promise, so we did what careless kids will do, we made a pinky swear, with blood.

That's right. We stabbed, with a pin, each other, and we mixed our blood, proving our allegiance to one another. By shedding our blood, we testified to our commitment to this promise. We had a visual reminder, a real showing of how much we were going to give to this promise. And for a long time it lasted, until my cousins moved to New Mexico, and life happens for all.

I sense this is what God wanted from Abraham and all men who call on His Name: a real sense of commitment, something tangible, sacrificial, illustrating our vow to God. All too often we readily give our vocal promise, and all too often, at least i do, we fail to keep them. We get busy. We choose the "better" road. Perhaps we didn't realize the fullness of our promise, so we, with remorse, break it. Or, as often is the case, we simply forget. But when we have to give of ourselves, and in truly a sacrificial way, we can never forget. We, and God, will always remember the pledge we make with our Creator, and that makes the promise all the more difficult to break.

And yet, it happens, doesn't it? Even though we have given of our blood, our flesh, as a testament to our covenant with God, don't we, like my cousins and I, break our promises still? Aren't there times when we still fail to live up to what God desires, demands of us? Or perhaps the demands God gives us are too strict, too costly, and we have to bow out, choose the other road? In some cases, even though we have given of ourselves, is it possible we even forget? If this is how we hold our end of the promise, what does God do with us?

It says in Genesis 17 that if, IF, Abraham remained faithful, God would give him a son: Isaac, which means "He laughs." Because at 100 years of age, having your first heir is laughable, but God made it clear: do this and this will happen. God was telling Abraham, show me your allegiance, once and for all, and the promise of the stars in the heaven will finally come true. God even gives the son a name: Isaac. But for the first time God demands something of Abraham--God wants to see how committed Abe really was. Abe, yeah he passed this test.

Abe does what is commanded, so Abe can expect a son, within a year. But what happens after the son? What happens ten years down the road? Twenty? Will Abe forget, as we all do? And if he forgets, as i have done so many times, what will God do? Here is our dilemma, and here is where we have to rely on God more than ever.

Sisters and brothers, God doesn't suffer from short term or long term memory loss. God never will have amnesia or alzheimers. God's faculties and cognition are beyond our ability to comprehend, and for that we should be thankful. Thankful that God remembers His covenant and His end of it. Thankful that God remembers our faithful times. And yes, thankful that God remembers our unfaith. So what do we do when the Almighty holds, in His hands, all that we have done well and poorly? We trust in His love.

For above all things, His love, as manifested in the person of Jesus, holds the ultimate covenant together. His love removes our past, clears our present, and prepares our future. God doesn't forget, but God never holds against us, how badly we have failed. If we will remember and turn to Him. When we do, God is the father of the prodigal son, God is the redeemer, and God is the one, from the cross, saying, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Why? Because God remembers His promise to us, no matter what.

And God's promise cost Jesus everything, so God will never forget! My cousins and I don't talk about that summer day in Chase, KS, but i do remember our promise to each other. And down deep, in our heart of hearts, i sense we still look out for each other, even from the miles that separate us. If we, as humans can do that, how much more can and will our God care for us, if we remember. Amen.