Past Performance – Future Results

Virtually every advertisement for mutual funds, stocks, and other financial investments include the fine print statement, “Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results.” Today, as I was reflecting on Psalm 18, I realized how genuine faith flies in the face of that statement. In fact, faith’s promise is the exact opposite.

David said, I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:3) His statement pointed to a confident anticipation of deliverance in the face of conflict, based upon his remembering the faithfulness of God in previous situations. It is as good as done!

Our unchanging God can be trusted to perform tomorrow just as He has done in the past. With Him, Past Performance is a Perfect Guarantee of Future Results. This is why it is vital that we review His works told about in the Bible. It is the reason we must discern His activity in our own experiences, connecting our story in His story. And it is the reason that we must tell that story again and again among our family, friends, neighbors and nations.

When we rehearse His caring and miraculous works, we tell of His greatness and instill or rekindle hope and confidence in His power and His will to deliver again. All our present sorrows or joys pale in light of the great and eternal promises of our God. He is faithful. He shows unfailing kindness to those who are His. This truth motivates us to respond like David, “I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name.”