We live in a world of broken promises. Politicians fail to deliver on campaign pledges. Companies don’t honor their warranties. Sometimes even the people closest to us fall short of what they said they’d do. And if we’re honest, we’ve broken our fair share of promises too.
In a world like this, it’s easy to become cynical. Can anyone really be trusted? Does anyone actually keep their word anymore?
The book of Joshua offers us a powerful answer—one that reverberates across centuries and speaks directly into our uncertainty today.
A Promise Centuries in the Making
Joshua 21:43-45 provides a remarkable summary statement: “Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to their ancestors that he would give them, and having taken possession of it, they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors… Not one of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”
This isn’t just a historical footnote. It’s a confession of faith. A declaration that echoes through time: *God keeps promises.*
But here’s what makes this moment so profound—this promise was made to Abraham *hundreds of years earlier*. Multiple generations lived and died without seeing its fulfillment. Parents told their children about a land they would never personally possess. Grandparents passed down stories of a divine covenant that seemed increasingly distant with each passing year.
Imagine being one of those intermediate generations. You’ve heard the stories your whole life. God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit a land. But you’re a slave in Egypt, working under the brutal heat, your body aching, your spirit crushed. Does that promise still hold? Did God forget?
Or imagine being raised in the wilderness, wandering from place to place, never quite settling down. Your parents tell you about this “Promised Land,” but all you’ve ever known is sand, tents, and uncertainty. At some point, doesn’t it start to sound like a fairy tale?
Yet now, standing in that very land, with homes to call their own and rest from their enemies, the people of Israel could look back and say with absolute certainty: *Not one promise failed. Every word came to pass.*
Three Promises Fulfilled
The passage highlights three specific ways God kept His word:
First, God gave them the land. This wasn’t just real estate—it was the fulfillment of a covenant made generations before. It represented belonging, identity, and the faithfulness of God across time.
Second, God gave them rest. This was more than a break from fighting. It was the deep, restorative rest that comes from finally being home. After 400 years of slavery and 40 years of wilderness wandering, they could exhale. They could put down roots. They could experience peace.
Third, God kept every single promise. Verse 45 emphasizes this with stunning clarity: “Not one of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” What a track record. What a God.
The Paradox of Participation
Here’s something crucial we can’t overlook: the Israelites still had to enter the land. They still had to face their enemies. There were battles to be fought, fears to overcome, and moments of doubt to push through.
God’s promises don’t make us passive recipients. They call us to active participation.
The fulfillment of God’s word often requires our faithfulness, our courage, our willingness to step forward even when we can’t see the entire path ahead. The Israelites had to cross the Jordan River. They had to march around Jericho. They had to trust God’s unconventional battle plans.
God’s promises are sure, but they invite us into partnership. We move forward in faith, trusting that what God has said will come to pass, even when the journey is difficult.
Living in the “Already But Not Yet”
Even after entering the Promised Land, the conquest wasn’t complete. There was still work to be done, still territory to claim, still challenges to face.
This is the paradox of faith: we live in the tension of “already but not yet.”
God has already acted decisively. The promise has been fulfilled. Yet we’re still waiting for the fullness of what God has spoken. We’re home, but we’re still settling in. We have victory, but battles remain.
This tension is where faith takes root.
We pray for healing, but the symptoms persist. We believe for breakthrough, but the circumstances haven’t changed. We cling to promises of peace and restoration, but life still feels chaotic.
In these moments, we’re invited to remember that faith isn’t just believing God *can* do something. It’s trusting that God *will* do something, even when we can’t figure out the timeline or the method.
The Power of Sacred Memory
This is why remembering is so important. Sacred memory anchors us when the storms rage and the path forward is unclear.
When we look back and remember how God has been faithful in the past, it strengthens our faith for the future. We recall the prayers that were answered, the impossible situations that somehow worked out, the times when provision came at just the right moment.
We don’t deny the struggle. We don’t pretend the waiting isn’t hard. But we remember that the God who brought the Israelites through the wilderness will bring us through ours too.
The God who gave them rest will give us rest. The God who kept every promise to them will keep every promise to us.
For Those in the Waiting
Maybe you’re in a season right now where God’s promise feels distant. You’ve been praying for something—maybe for years—and the answer hasn’t come. You’re standing in the gap between what God has said and what you can see.
If that’s you, take heart from Israel’s story.
The waiting may seem endless. You may run out of patience. It may even take longer than you expected—perhaps longer than your lifetime. But God’s promises remain intact.
God does not forget. God has not abandoned you. The same faithfulness that carried Israel through centuries of waiting is carrying you right now.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is remember. Look back at where you’ve been. Recall the times God showed up. Remember the promises already fulfilled in your life. Let that sacred memory fuel your faith for what’s still to come.
Moving Forward in Hope
We are called to be people who remember, who trust, and who bear witness.
We remember God’s promises. We trust they will come to pass in God’s perfect timing. And we bear witness to what God has already done, encouraging others in their own journeys of faith.
The promise may take a while. The road may be difficult. But the destination is sure.
Because the God who keeps promises is leading the way.
