Word of Encouragement (8/7/2020)
Yesterday, we started to reflect on the words of Edward Leigh, who said that divine promises are “the grounds of our hope, the objects of our faith, and the rule of prayer” (p. 2). We looked at divine promises as “the grounds of our hope.” Today, we will look at divine promises as “the objects of our faith.”
Here, we are reminded that God’s promises are to be believed. Quoting Num. 23:19 (“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”), the authors say, “The promises of God are sure words to be believed because God stands behind them. Whatever is believed without a promise is only presumed (Heb. 11:11)” (p. 2).
What does it mean to believe in God’s promises? It is more than simply being aware of them intellectually, or to appreciate the ideas that are communicated in them in our passing thoughts, or to even be familiar with them. To believe in God’s promises is to view them as God’s personal promises to us, not just to others. We cannot gloss over God’s promises in the Bible and quickly forget about them as if they had nothing to do with us. Instead, we hold on to them as we hold on to our most treasured possessions. They are at the forefront of our consciousness, especially when we face adversities. Even when they don’t dominate our minds, they are constantly there as the foundation on which our confidence is built, the reservoir from which we derive hope even in hopeless situations.
When you read the Bible next time, see what things God is promising to His people. (This requires an understanding of different types of divine promises, which we will talk about soon. But, for now, go ahead and locate God’s promises in your daily Bible reading.) Remember that these promises are given for you to believe. Ask the Lord to help you believe in His promises because they are from an all-powerful and faithful God, who loves you enough to give His Son for your salvation.
Have a blessed day!