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Themes Faithfulness of God A BROKEN PROMISE - A BROKEN HEART The summer heat was sweltering as Harriet worked away in the field. Every morning before the sun rose, her boss woke Harriet and others and herded them like cows out into the field. Day after day she planted, hoed and harvested potatoes and other vegetables until dark. Harriet was a slave. Rich men had come and taken many black people from Africa and brought them to the United States. Slaves, like Harriet, were forced to work long hours on the rich people's land. If they complained or did not work hard enough, their masters would beat them. Thousands lived and died as slaves. However, as Harriet worked for her master every day, one thing was always on her mind - FREEDOM. But, how could she ever be free? Harriet knew the only way was to buy her freedom. She knew a man who had bought his freedom. But, how could she ever earn that much money? One day she got up enough courage and asked her master what it would take to buy her freedom. "Harriet," he said, "I'm glad for all of your hard work - you are one of my best slaves. It would cost $200 to buy your freedom." It seemed like a lot of money, but Harriet did not give up. She gained her master's permission to grow a garden of her own, and sell the vegetables at the town market. Half the money from the vegetables went to her master. She kept the other half. Harriet longed to be free. Every night she would pull a small bag out of a hiding place in her little cabin wall and count the precious coins over and over again. Would she ever have enough? Little by little, month by month, the coins added up. Finally, Harriet had $200.00! The next morning, she went to see her master. Excitedly, she pushed the heavy bag of coins into his hands. "What is this for?" asked her master. "Master," she exclaimed, "It's $200 for my freedom!" Slowly he handed the bag back. "Harriet" he said, "I wouldn't let you go for $1000!" Harriet could not believe what she just heard. She turned and ran as fast as she could away from her master, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her master had broken his promise - she could never buy her freedom. Although, some kind people eventually helped Harriet escape to Canada and freedom, Harriet never forgot her master. He was cruel, dishonest, and did not keep his promise. Likely someone has broken a promise to you too. Thank God, He is not like people. He always KEEPS His promises. He always means what He says. What He says is the truth because, the Bible says, "God cannot lie" (Titus 1:2). God has said you are "guilty (of sin) before God" (Romans 3:19) and you do not deserve to be in Heaven. Is it the truth? God promised He would send His own Son to the cross to pay for sin? Did He keep His promise? God promises that every person who trusts the Lord Jesus for salvation will be safe from eternal punishment and be in Heaven forever. Can you trust His promise? Have you?
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Jim Batterton
