Bob Garrard shared the following:

 

Promise is the word for June. 

Promises are defined by Merriam-Webster as legally binding declarations that give the person to whom they are made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.

At four o’clock on the last Sunday of this month, The Rev. Delaney Piper, They/Them, will be installed as the pastor of the Highlands Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne, WY. All are welcome! 

A Presbyterian installation service involves a series of statements of faith and promises made by the pastor and congregation to each other and Jesus Christ as head of the church. 

I can tell you from fifty-five years in ministry that when the promises are kept the relationship of a church and pastor go much better than when they are not. The same can be said about marriages, parenting, businesses, and politics.  

However, there are a number of promises our present president has made that I pray are not kept or greatly modified.

Promises are a vital part of our faith stories. Below are some examples.  

According to AI used in Google: 

In the Hebrew Bible vs. the New Testament, one source estimates 7,706 promises in the Hebrew Bible compared to 1,104 in the New Testament. A significant portion of these promises are made by God to humankind, with one source stating that 7,487 out of 8,810 total promises are made by God to humankind. No wonder I cannot remember them all. 

Hebrew Bible. 2 Samuel 7:28 “Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your 

covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.”

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 1:20: “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] 'Yes.' So through Him we say our 'Amen' to the glory of God.”

 

Promise is mentioned 151 times in the Quran, 70 times as a verb. 

35:5 “O humanity! Indeed, Allah’s promise is true. So do not let the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver1 deceive you about Allah.

 

The Bahá'í writings, which are considered the authoritative texts of the Bahá'í Faith, frequently discuss the concept of "promise." These writings are far more extensive than the Bible and include the words of Baháʼu'lláh, the Báb, and `Abdu'l-Bahá, along with authorized interpretations from Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. 

Here's a quote from 'Abdu'l-Bahá about the promise of divine assistance: "O party of the Covenant! Verily, the Beauty of El-Abha hath promised the most great assistance to the beloved who are firm in the Covenant and to confirm them through the mightiest power. Ye will surely find in your luminous assembly such signs as will shine within hearts and souls." 

 

While the term "promise" might not be used frequently in the Buddhist scriptures in the same way it is in some other faiths, the concept of commitment and vows is central to Buddhist practice. “Buddhists make vows (praṇidhāna) to guide their actions and intentions towards spiritual growth and the benefit of others. "Buddhist vows are about relieving suffering, and cultivating wisdom and compassion."

 

The concept of "promise" is present and significant in Hinduism, though not always using that exact word. Instead, related terms like vow (vachan/pratigya) and oath (shapatha) are used to denote commitments and assurances. Dharma: “Truthfulness and upholding one's commitments are considered vital aspects of dharma (righteous duty).”

 

In all of these religions, the keeping of a promise is of the highest importance. Again, promises are “legally binding declarations that gives the person to whom they are made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.”

 

In closing, this poem about promises to one’s self seems to be a good way to close. It was written by Amanda Michelle Sanders, February 15, 2011. If there were a third Testament in the Bible, I would include this. 



A Promise To Myself (Promises I made To Myself During My Recovery From Depression)

I promise to be confident

I promise to be true

I promise to not be so ******* myself

I promise to start new

I promise to not call myself ugly

I promise to not fall apart

I promise to cry when I’m happy

I promise to be strong

I promise to not be selfish

I promise to be myself

I promise to be my own kind of beautiful

I promise not to be jealous of anyone else

I promise to always smile

I promise to be sweet

I promise to make good decisions

I promise to be healthy

I promise to always hope

I promise to not give up

I promise to be a good friend

I promise to not call myself a **** up

I promise to be honest

I promise to shine

I promise to fight to the end

I promise to protect what’s mine

I promise to not call myself fat

I promise to just relax

I promise to believe in myself

I promise to ignore what’s being said behind my back

I promise to do my best

I promise to love unconditionally

I promise to live like there is no tomorrow

I promise to not give up on me