Many of us have experienced someone who made a promise, but never kept it. Someone gave a hope or expectation that never materialized. Depending on the size of the expectation, you may have dismissed the let down as “no big deal” or you might have felt a sense of devastation. Think back on one of those occasions and let the feeling sink in a bit.
Now, imagine what it must have been like to be Abraham and receive a promise from God that would touch “all families of the earth” (Gen. 12:3). That’s a big promise. So big that it might be tempting to dismiss it as exaggeration, especially if you seem unable to have kids and the first part of the promise is that God will make you a great nation (Gen. 12:2). A nation requires the first person, and Abraham and Sarah couldn’t conceive their first child. Nevertheless, God!
Interestingly, the faith of Abraham and Sarah is mentioned in Hebrews 11:8-13.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
Note that although Abraham and Sarah didn’t see the fulfillment of the promise in this life, the promise was still fulfilled.
In this week’s passage, we read of a man (Simeon) who saw the promise of God fulfilled in his lifetime. He saw, as the Spirit had promised, the Lord’s Christ (Luke 2:26). Simeon described the fulfilled promise like this: “for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).
With these stories in mind, think through your own life and consider occasions when you believe God was faithful. Are there things/promises you are still waiting on?
List a few of those and connect this devotion to them. How can these verses encourage you?
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