Paris In the early days of our country a weary traveler came to the banks of the Mississippi River for the first time. There was no bridge. It was in the middle of winter, and the surface of "Old Man River" was covered with ice. Could he dare cross over? Would the uncertain ice support him as he walked on it?

Night was falling, and it was urgent that he reach the other side quickly. Finally, after much hesitation and with many fears, he began to creep cautiously across the icy surface on his hands and knees. For he thought that this way he could distribute his weight evenly and keep the ice from breaking.

About half-way over he heard the sound of singing behind him. Out of the dusk there came an old farmer driving a horse-drawn load of coal across the ice and singing merrily as he went his way!

Here the traveler was— -cautiously and ever so carefully creeping along on his hands and knees, trembling lest the ice be not strong enough to bear him up! And there, as if whisked away by the winter's wind, went the farmer, his heavy horses, his sleigh, and his load of coal—- upheld by the same ice on which the traveler was creeping.

Like this weary traveler, some of us have learned only to creep upon the promises of God. Cautiously, timidly, tremblingly we venture forth upon His promises, as though the lightness of our step might make His promises more secure. What folly! —- as though we could contribute even in the slightest to the awesome strength of the divine assurances!

God has promised to be with us. Let us believe that promise. God has promised to uphold us. Let us believe Him when He says so in His infallible Word. God has promised to give us victory over all spiritual enemies. Let us trust His truthfulness. Above all, He has promised to give us full and free forgiveness of all our sins through faith in Jesus Christ His Son and our Savior. Jesus has promised to come again and take us to His heavenly home. Let us take Him at His Word.

We are not to creep upon these promises as though they were too fragile to support us. We are to stand upon them—- confident that God is as good as His Word and that He will do what He has pledged.

Consider the prophet Jeremiah's beautiful words: "Great is Your faithfulness" from Lamentations 3:23.

Andrew Paris is minister at the Delphi Christian Church.