Mrs. MacKintrick was an elderly woman who lived in the beautiful countryside of Scotland. Because Mrs. MacKintrick was too poor to pay her rent, the congregation of her church kindly paid it for her.

Once a month, the kindhearted Pastor Bruce delivered the rent money to her. During one of those visits in the course of their conversation, he asked her, “Mrs. MacKintrick, the members of our congregation wanted me to ask you a question. We cannot understand why your son does not support you. We have heard he has a very good job in Australia.”

“William is a good son,” said Mrs. MacKintrick. “He remembers to write me every week. Would you like to see one of his letters?”

Curious to know more of such a son who loved his mother so dearly and yet left her without support, the pastor agreed that he would like to read some of William’s letters.

Mrs. MacKintrick returned with two packages and handed one to Pastor Bruce.

As Pastor Bruce untied the string, Mrs. MacKintrick said, “With every letter, William always sends me a small pretty picture.”

Pastor Bruce was more curious than ever. “A picture in every letter? May I also see the pictures?”

“Oh, surely!” answered Mrs. MacKintrick, and handed him the contents of the other package. “Some are of a man’s head, some of a man sitting on a horse, and some have the king’s picture on them. Long live the king!”

In astonishment, Pastor Bruce said, “Long live your son, Mrs. MacKintrick! Why, you are a rich woman! These pretty pictures are money. Why, to think you have suffered without enough to live on for so long, when all the while, right here in your house you had the wealth of this income from your son, but you thought these bills were just pretty pictures!”

Many people look on the promises in the Bible in much the same way, as simply nice words or “pretty pictures.” However, the promises in God’s Word are there to encourage our faith that God will take care of us, and that He wants us to ask for His help in time of need.

The Bible says, “He has granted to us His precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4 ESV).