Josh & I have been been reading through Genesis in our quiet times/devotions. I am so grateful that God is giving me fresh eyes to look at this book anew and to benefit from it. In particular, I have been struck by how faithful God is to keep His promises.
Today I read Genesis 21, where God grants Abraham & Sarah their promised child, Isaac. Verse 1 stuck out to me: "The LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as He had promised." Much earlier, (Genesis 15) the Lord had promised Abraham that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. When Abraham was a whopping ninety-nine years old, God reiterated the promise to him, but it had not yet been fulfilled. Abraham was one hundred years old when he saw God's promise fulfilled in the birth of Isaac.
I just love in Genesis 21:1 where it says that God did as He had said and did as He had promised. This is the God we serve. He is a promise-keeping God. What seemed like an outlandish and impossible promise was fulfilled by the faithful God. He always keeps His word and all of His promises prove faithful. As I consider that truth, I'm filled with fresh faith today to trust Him. Why would I doubt that God will give me grace to fight temptations to sin when He has promised me in 1 Cor. 10:13 that God will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear? Why would I doubt that God will help me to grow in being a loving wife when He has promised in Philippians 1:6 that He will bring to completion the good work that He has started in me? Why would I fear the changes that will come with caring for two children instead of just one when God has plainly told me in 2 Cor. 12:9 that His strength is made perfect in weakness? God always proves good on His word so I can bank on His promises. What hope and joy there is in believing that truth!
May you be encouraged today as you seek to trust Him, knowing that our God is a God who faithfully keeps the promises in His Word!
Thanks for sharing these encouraging thoughts!
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