ONE PROMISE - December 28, 2022
Wednesday, December 28th
Advent Devotional #32 written by Pastor Shawn Thornton
ONE PROMISE
To read today: Numbers 23:17-20
God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
Numbers 23:19
The Bible records a wide range of many promises. There are somewhere between 3,000 and 8,000 promises. Regardless of the actual number, we can agree that there are a lot of promises in God’s Word. The good news is God knows precisely how many promises there are, and He never breaks a promise. We read that in today’s Bible verse.
We know God will always keep His word. So why is it then that we struggle to believe Him? Why do we fear He won’t keep His promises to us?
God gives us frequent reminders of His promises. One of those reminders takes place every single morning. Every morning, the sun rises. Whether or not we see the sunrise, the sun makes its daily trek into the sky in all its glorious beauty. Even on the cloudiest, dreary days, the sun still rises. We may not see or even feel it, but it’s still there. That’s a reminder to us of God’s presence. We may not see Him right now in our lives, and we may not feel Him, but He’s there. He’s always been there, and He will always be there.
Another reminder of God’s promise is seen every time we see a beautiful rainbow. That rainbow reminds us of God’s promise to Noah all those years ago—that He would never flood the entire earth again. What’s amazing is that we only see a rainbow the clearest against dark storm clouds. Amid the darkness of a storm, God shines his brilliant artwork and casts a rainbow in the sky. Rainbows are another reminder of God’s presence.
These are ways we see God in nature and remember His promises. The promises themselves are recorded in the Bible. He never wanted us to forget His presence and promises to us.
What promise of God do you need to be reminded of these last few days before the New Year? Is it the promise that God will never leave you (Hebrews 13:8)? Is it the promise that God holds you in His hand and nobody can change that (John 10:28)? Is it the promise that God is still working in your life and will continue to do so for the rest of your life (Philippians 1:6)?
Today: Spend some time reading the following promises and circle the one that means the most to you right now.
God promises rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
God promises to never leave us (Hebrews 13:8)
God promises to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9)
God promises us the Holy Spirit (John 14:15,16)
God promises us a place in Heaven (John 14:1-4)
God promises nothing can come between us and his love for us (Romans 8:38-39)
God promises everlasting life to those who believe (John 3:16)
God has promised his grace (2 Corinthians 12:9)
God promises to carry our burdens and care for us (1 Peter 5:7)
God promises to hear us (1 John 5:14,15)
*For a list of 365 promises, one for every day of the year, go to https://www.365promises.com/print-promises.html and download the free printable sheet.