4/12/2024
As He SaidMany years ago, someone I cared for very deeply broke a promise they made to me. It truly crushed me, and it took me years to get past.
The pain ran deep. I found in those moments that we as Christians can do one of two things. We can either~ 1. Let the brokenness of humanity turn into bitterness and scar our relationship with Jesus and our trust in His promises to us, or~ 2. We can cling to those promises, understanding that Jesus will never break a promise He has made to us. Ever. I pondered this fact last Sunday as I read the gospel of Matthew and came across three small words in his resurrection account. Three words that broke through every trust barrier. Three simple words that meant everything to me. “AS HE SAID.” What a promise!!! Every promise in God’s word points to the gospel, and all of God’s promises are fulfilled directly or indirectly in Christ. Every promise made before His birth and every promise made after His glorious resurrection. Everything God has promised has been fulfilled or will be fulfilled, just as He said. Because Jesus is alive. He is no longer dead. Just as He said. Too often I take God’s promises for granted. I pick and choose the ones I want to cling to, instead of clinging to God Himself. I want physical results. I want that peace. I want that joy. I want that comfort. I want the promise. I forget about the praise. The praise in the promises He fulfills every single day. Promises to forgive. To meet my daily needs. To love me no matter what. To never leave me. To work all things out for my good. Promises that through His salvation I will be with Him for all eternity. As He said. I also find it interesting that God used Matthew to add those three small (but powerful) words in the first account of Christ’s resurrection. Matthew didn’t use a litany of proficient words to prove his trust in His Savior. “As He said.” That’s it. I am sure Matthew had trouble believing people when they made promises. As a tax collector, he was all about the facts. Either you paid or you didn’t. But this. This was fact. Jesus paid every debt ever owed. He was, and is alive. Just as He said. Choose to look to Christ today and rest in His promises. Take a lesson from Matthew, who knew the state of humanity all too well. Don’t allow past relationships to cause bitterness or scar your relationship with Christ. There isn’t a single minute you have to doubt Him and His love for you. In the middle of His horrific death on the cross, nothing looked good. It seemed all was lost. But God. God remembered His promises to all of mankind, His promises to me and His promises to you, and He fulfilled them. I do not say this lightly. I understand the pain many of you are going through right now. No matter how horrific your circumstances might be or what you might be in the middle of at this very moment, He will not break His promises to you. Cling to them, but more importantly~ cling to Him. He promises to meet our needs. He promises to hear our prayers. He promises peace, joy, comfort, mercy, strength and protection. He promises a love that never fails. He promises the salvation of our souls and eternity in heaven. He promises Himself. He promises to work everything out for your good~ just as He promised that He would raise from the dead. Let that sink in. JUST AS HE SAID. SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 28:6, 2 Peter 1:4, 2 Corinthians 1:18-2, Philippians 4:7, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 94:17-19, John 14:17-18, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Luke 1:72, Ephesians 2:4, Psalm 66:20, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 32:7, Isaiah 41:10, Colossians 1:11-14, Ephesians 1:7, Philippians 4:19, John 10:28-30, 1 John 5:11-15, Ephesians 2:4-7, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Romans 8:18, 28, 31-32, 35, 37-39, Psalm 31:14-15 |
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