When we were kids, did you ever hear someone ask, ‘Promise?’ and the reply may have been, ‘Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.’ Remember that? I’m not sure where that came from. Maybe I’d heard it from my older siblings or friends. It is weird to think about it now. I get the cross my heart part, but hope to die – not really, and definitely I don’t want a needle in my eye!
In my daily Bible reading, I’m in Joshua. It is honestly not the most exciting reading, but I am trying to find something meaningful in it because God put it in His word. These are the chapters that are naming the cities that all the tribes of Israel inherited and the cities of refuge. It is hard to even read and pronounce the names. It can be difficult to get through without wanting to just skim over them.
And then I see this verse in chapter 21 – 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Think about how the Israelites kept on sinning time after time, just like me, and God kept on forgiving them over and over again, just like He does me! But in the midst of all of this, it says God kept His promises. None He made with them failed. They all came to pass. Just like He’ll do with me.
All through the New Testament, we are reminded of God’s promises. Like the Israelites, we just need to strive to do His will and hold on a little longer until we get to the Promised Land. Hebrews 6 says 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Be earnest, assured, have hope, work, imitate, have faith, be patient, then we will inherit.
That is what it is all about!
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