He promised

DEVOTION

GENESIS

HE PROMISED, WE BELIEVE

Gen 21:1-7

21:1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 7 And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

NIV

The joy of being parents to a newborn. Both Abraham and Sarah had to be overjoyed at the birth of Isaac. But it might have been for different reasons. God had promised Abraham a son that would become a nation of people. Abraham believed God. In their old age they produced a son and Sarah even nursed him. This was a miracle as well as her even becoming pregnant. But God had promised. When God promises he always fulfills his promise. Sarah was filled with Joy, she told people that God has brought her laugher. Anyone who hears about this old woman having a baby and nursing him will laugh with me, or have joy for her. It is a very joyful occasion for Sarah, as well for Abraham. It surely cements his faith in God, which is for sure. Abraham obeyed the Lord as well in the circumcision of his son when he was eight days old. What do we learn here? Although we already know the joy of becoming a parent, there still resides a lesson about our relationship with God. He promises and he fulfills. We have faith and believe. It is doubtful that could ever be turned around. It would seem impossible to conceive that we could promise and fulfill, but it is possible for God to have faith and believe, in us. He always believes in us, he desires the best for us, which is why he sent Jesus to fulfill the law we could never do in order to attain salvation. God never loses faith in us, always believing we will do the right thing, accepting his son as our Lord and Savior. We, on the other hand have the most difficult time fulfilling any promise we make, not only to other people, but even to God. This is why we should never make an oath.

Matt 5:33-37

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath , but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

NIV

We are flawed in our humanity, but God is perfect in all ways. Our only task, our only righteous act is to accept his provision, his promise for our salvation through Jesus, and his promises regarding our relationship with him. He promised to provide for us, he promised to direct our paths, he promised to send us the Holy Spirit. We could spend hours listing all the promises God has made to us, his people, to his creation. The point is God always fulfills his promise. There should never be any doubt in minds, our spirits that God will always be there fulfilling his promise. Jesus promised that when he away he would prepare a place for us and that if he prepared a place for us, he would then return to take us to that place. If it were not so he would not have told us.

John 14:1-4

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 

NIV

This is one of the greatest promises we will ever have and we can be sure it will be fulfilled. This is what trusting God is all about. He promised, he will do it, we believe it.