He Who Promised Is Faithful

January 9

We cannot count ourselves blessed if we alone are blessed. It is the longing of our hearts to rest in the assurance that those we love, those to whom we have witnessed the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, are also blessed. We long not merely for temporal, but also eternal favor upon ourselves and those around us.

The great God we serve indicates His understanding of our deep yearning for the well-being of our loved ones in Isaiah 65:23, 24 where the prophet says, “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they shall be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are speaking, I will hear.”

What a precious promise! The Almighty One sees our heart! He knows the depth of our longing for meaningful results to the labor we perform. He knows it is our desire to lay up treasure for our children—our natural children and our spiritual children! He knows we covet the blessings of time and of eternity—especially of eternity—for those we hold dear. And He says they’re ours!

As we see the events that unfold on planet earth, such things as the ‘polar vortex’ encroaching into half of the country and plunging it into a deep freeze; as we see man’s inhumanity to man evidenced in so many places and is so many ways, as we observe men who “have a form of godliness, but deny the power,” II Timothy 3:5, we tend to conclude that we are indeed living in the closing days of time.

As these signs unfold in more and more manifestations, with greater rapidity and in various and sundry places, we cannot but think of Jesus’ words in Luke 21:28, “When you see these things happen, look up and lift up your head, for your redemption draws near.”

So we wait in hope, knowing the words of the angel as the Lord ascended into Heaven after resurrection are true, “Why do you stand gazing into the air? This same Jesus, who is taken from you will return in like manner as you have seen Him go,” Acts 1:11. We do not despair when men and governments seems to be plummeting out of control.

We believe and are sure that Jesus came to make available to us everything man lost by the fall. Whereas Adam and Ever were required by their sin to toil to survive, to endure pain in childbearing, we are now told that our labor will be fruitful and those with whom we share the message of salvation will be kept in the hollow of His hand!

We know our God hears us as we whisper our prayers for those we love. We know we may continue to labor in the behalf of His Kingdom’s purposes and that our efforts will bear fruit. Until He comes, we may abide in the assurance that “as our Savior comes, His reward will be with Him,” Isaiah 62:11.

May we allow our endeavors to be in the behalf of His Kingdom’s purposes and may we keep our eyes on the eastern sky, for surely, “He who has promised is faithful,” Hebrews 10:23.