Trust in the Promises of the Lord

In the story of Jesus’ birth, we see two contrasting examples of how God fulfills His promises. God promised two different parties that they would see the messiah and both parties experienced the fulfillment of the promise at different times: one through immediate revelation to the shepherds, and the other through the patient, faithful waiting of Simeon. Both stories show the different ways that God’s promises are carried out in our lives. Sometimes we see the fruit of God’s promises almost immediately, and other times it takes much longer.

A promise is only truly a promise if it’s kept because a broken promise is no better than a lie. This is why, even from an early age, many of us are taught the importance of keeping our promises. Of course, we’ve never been perfect; sometimes we forget to call or get home late, or fail to keep a secret. People break promises to us, we break promises to others, and who would expect anything different? After all, broken promises are the product of a broken world. And unfortunately, broken promises lead to feelings of betrayal, frustration, and doubt. They leave us wondering who we can truly trust and whether anyone can be counted on when they say they will do something.

However, in the midst of all this human failure, we are reminded of something profoundly different: the perfect, unbreakable promises of God. His promises are not like ours. They don’t come with conditions that may or may not be met. They don’t fade with time. They don’t get broken because of mistakes, misunderstandings, or neglect! When God makes a promise, He keeps it; His promises are sure and true. Remember, both the shepherds and Simeon experienced the fulfillment of God’s promise at different times, but in both circumstances, God’s promises led to joy! Even if you feel like you’ve been waiting on God’s promises for a long time, take heart and know that your God always keeps His promises!

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Is there anything that I feel God has promised me that has yet to bear fruit? Am I being a Simeon and waiting with faithful patience, or am I losing patience in the promise?

2. Has my experience with the broken promises of the world affected my ability to trust in the promises of God? Am I willing to ask God to heal any wounds that I’ve received from broken promises?

What’s next?

1. Spend time with God this week and meditate on all of His promises towards you. Remind yourself that God has promised to be with you in your struggles, to provide for your needs, to forgive your sins through faith in His Son, and He promises to one day make all things new!

Pray this prayer

Heavenly Father, I come before you with a heart full of gratitude. I am thankful for the promises you’ve made and the promises you keep. I trust in your promise to forgive me and grant me eternal life because I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me live in light of your promises, trusting you more fully each day.