Little Promise

Promise Box

Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse, a well-known preacher of an earlier day, lived with his family in France during his student days. On their dinner table sat a little Promise Box that held approximately 200 promises from the Bible.  Each was printed on heavy paper and curled into a small cylinder, and the family would take one out and read it when they needed a special word of comfort.

One day Donald Barnhouse had the opportunity to lead a French girl to faith in Christ.  This girl often came to the Barnhouse home, and she saw the family reading verses from their Promise Box.  Unable to find one, she made her own.

During World War II, this woman found herself in real distress.  No food was available except messes of potato peelings from a restaurant.  Her children were emaciated, and their clothing was mere rags.  In desperation, she turned to her Promise Box, saying, “Lord, O Lord, I have such great need.  Is there a promise here that is really for me?  Show me, O Lord, what promise I can have in this time of famine, nakedness, peril, and the sword.”

Blinded by her tears, she reached for the box—and knocked it over.  The promises showered down around her, on her lap, on the floor; not one was left in the box.  Suddenly she realized that it wasn’t just one promise that was available to her, but that all of God’s promises were for her.  Joy and strength returned to her life, and she was able to trust His sufficiency in the hour of her greatest nee.

The same precious promises are available to you and me.  In fact, they are the pins that hold together our broken heart and crippled soul in the hour of our greatest pain and need.

David Jeremiah, Signs of Life, p. 108