Promise Keeper

Several years ago my mentor and I were going through the book of Luke, Lectio Divina style. She read, and I listened. And on the very first day we did it, I believed God made me a promise about my son, Joshua.
As Jenni read these words which God spoke to Zechariah about his son, John, I was convinced God was speaking the same words to me about Joshua.

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth...Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.

For a long time, whenever Joshua began to get under my skin I would repeat the phrase 'He will be a joy and delight to you' and pray that God would help me to see it. (Some days were easier than others. *wink*)

*Big sigh* I'm telling you, these current days often leave me wondering. Oh, how he balks at chores. At being responsible. And respectful. He complains, and argues, and I feel like I will never 'win' with that boy. I cannot tell you the number of times I have wanted to through my hands up in the air in frustration and just say, "I GIVE UP!"

But a few weeks ago I was reading a book which mentioned the promises God gives to us in His Word. And I remembered that moment with Jenni, when God spoke to my heart.
Then there was the comment Leah left two weeks ago - about God being a Covenant Keeper. Which, again, reminded me of the Luke thing.
And just last week I was reading Genesis 15, about God's promise to Abram - to make him into a great nation, with descendants as numerous as the stars. Hello! Abram didn't even have ONE child when God told him this crazy thing!
But God made the promise, and Abram believed.

That's when God reminded me again about the promise He made to me about Joshua. I went through my own, Hello! He never listens to me...objection. And God reminded me again that HE is a Promise Keeper, so I am choosing to trust Him.
Abraham was well advanced in years when he finally saw the beginning of the fulfillment of God's promise to him. He had to wait. And it didn't look so hopeful. But he believed, and God did what He said He would do.
I don't know what God is going to do in my son. But I believe He will use that boy (That man? I realize I may need to wait that long!) to bring people to Himself. I believe many will rejoice because Joshua was born - as God uses him to draw people to Himself. Yes. I believe he WILL be a joy and delight to me.

In this moment I feel like pointing out to God all the reasons this hope seems impossible to me. But He takes me back to things like Genesis 18:14: Is anything too hard for the LORD? And I remember that, no matter how long I need to wait, no matter how hard these teen years may be, I can trust and believe.
Because HE is a Promise Keeper.