How certain or confident are you in God’s commitments? What comes to mind when you hear or read the phrase “I will?” Many might think of words like promise, commitment.

What do you think of when God says, “I will?” It speaks of authority, sovereignty, faithfulness, love, commitment and comfort. God’s “I will” holds weight and surety.

Balaam’s second oracle in Num.23:19 conveys this well, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

The key verse is not an “I will” statement, but it conveys the powerful sentiment perfectly. It is from Isaiah 55:11 “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  Prayerfully, I have conveyed the purpose of this piece that the Lord wants people to know. 

I was astounded by how many “I will’s” there were in the bible. I was encouraged, comforted and felt assured of who God was and is. I also saw that God does not give up on His people or His plan. 

Some of God’s “I will’s” were immediate “For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord GOD.” Ez.12:25.

Some happened over the course of time, “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.” Deut. 7:22. Others spoke of future events, as in Jeremiah 31 where the Lord will turn mourning into joy and make a new covenant with His people. 

His “I will” might speak louder than your situation and how you feel at times (as seen by the large letters), and sometimes it won’t (small letters). But however strong or subtle it is an anchor to hold onto and no less effective. I put a prayer of Habakkuk in the piece above my name. “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Hab.3:18.

It is our hearts response to the LORD when things aren’t going well around us, when they don’t make sense, when hard times come and evil prevails; we can trust Him to see us through.