For by these He has granted to us

His precious and magnificent promises,

in order that by them you might become

partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption that is in the world . . .

II Peter 1:4

But you promised! How many times have we hurled this accusation furiously at someone we had trusted, someone we had believed in, someone to whom we had given ourselves totally. Or perhaps that accusation came from a broken heart or from deep disappointment or knowing that we had been taken advantage of cruelly. And once you have been devastated by a broken promise, you find it very hard to “trust” again’not just that person who first violated your trust, but anyone who says to you, “I promise.”

A promise is only as valuable as is the reputation or position of the person who makes the promise. The president of the company may grant a pay increase or institute new company standards. He can do this and his word will be respected and carried out because of his position, the power behind that position and his reputation: How has he dealt with his employees before? Has he proven his interest in their welfare? Is he known for his integrity? Is he admired by the community? Have his standards resulted in company growth and contented employees previously? His promise is only as valuable as his position and his reputation.

That’s what Peter is talking about when he says, “For by these . . .” These are God’s credentials which give Him the authority, the credibility, the power to grant promises’such magnificent promises! There are two credentials given at the end of verse three: seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence (II Peter 1:3).

Glory: praise, honor, distinction, renowned

Excellence: of great worth, eminently good, moral excellence

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all (I Chronicles 29:11).

Ah, Lord God! Behold You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You (Jeremiah 32:17)!

Who else but God goes back and forth to Heaven? Who else but God holds the wind in His fists and wraps up the ocean in His cloak? Who but God created the world? If there is any other’what is his name’and his son’s name’if you know it Proverbs 30: 4)?

There is no God like our God. We have read about His unbridled power and the finality of His authority as it has been recorded for us; we have seen glimpses of that power in our own lives; we have ample evidence of His glory and His excellence in the heavens as they declare the glory of God and in the firmament displaying His handiwork. Therefore, we accept the promises, we appropriate them as our own, and we believe them, because of the Person who made that promise and His credentials’His glory and His excellence.

Your yes means yes, Lord, and Your no means no. You cannot lie. Your Word is undeniably true. You have proven Yourself to us in so many ways. The promises You have given to us seem too lavish, too incredible to be true. So may we never lose sight of Your glory and Your excellence’two things that give us the guarantee for the fulfillment of Your promises.

But these things I plan won’t happen right away.

Slowly, steadily, surely the time approaches

when the vision will be fulfilled.

If it seems slow, do not despair,

for these things will surely come to pass.

Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day

(Habakkuk 2:3 TLB).