Day 12 A Promise Made

Day 12 A Promise Made

4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Genesis 26: 4-5

Much of the arc of the Christmas story, the salvation story, is made up of promises. God spoke to a wandering Aramean, promising Him a multitude of descendants, a homeland, and an astounding future that would bless all the nations of the earth. He believed, obeyed, and followed. Because of his actions God folded Isaac into the story, along with the multitude that sprang from the promise. Years later, a young teenaged descendent believed and God became flesh.

Each Christmas we celebrate a God who keeps His promises. We celebrate a God who is trustworthy. We celebrate a God who made the incredible journey. In a world weighed down with broken promises, failed words, few things are trustworthy. Every day many fail to keep their spoken word. When I was in recruiting, we struggled with many young people who promised to join the Army, taking the oath, and yet failing to ship out to basic training. Rare indeed was the parent that expected their children to live up to their promise. We all know men and women that shipwreck their marriages, ruining their families by failing to keep their promise. But God, who is not slow keeping His word, diligently and faithfully worked all things together in order to save His creation. His promise to Abraham passed on to Isaac and others. It also passes on to you and to me. At this festive time of year, we celebrate a God whose word is His bond. What he says He will do, He does…like no other.