How can we know if a promise is trustworthy? People make promises that are often more like intentions than true promises. We might "promise" to call someone or pray for them later, but we say promise as more of an assurance of our intention than a true commitment.
Politicians, sales people, and even entrepreneurs make lots of promises, but if we're wise, we only accept these promises with a grain of salt. There always seems to be a loophole, excuse, or contingency that gives them a way out of making good on their promises.
A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. Even then, it's only reliable if the person has the capacity or power to keep their promise.
Wouldn't it be great if there were someone who's promises were rock-solid and sure? There is.
Scripture
God made a promise to Abraham. And as there is no one greater than God, he used himself when he swore to Abraham, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” Abraham waited patiently for this to happen, and he received what God promised. [vss 13-15]
People always use the name of someone greater than themselves when they swear. The oath proves that what they say is true, and this ends all arguing. God wanted to prove that his promise was true to those who would get what he promised. And he wanted them to understand clearly that his purposes never change, so he made an oath.
These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we have been given. [vss 16-18]
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong. It enters behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place in heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us and for us. He has become the high priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek. [vss 19-20]
(Hebrews 6:13-20 NCV) [Context– Hebrews 6]
Key phrase—
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and strong
Digging Deeper...
Review the Scriptures above as you answer the following questions
What promise did God make to Abraham and what are we told about it?
What key word or words show us how Abraham received God's promise?
What are the two things that can't change and that God cannot do?
As believers, what hope do we have and how is it an "anchor" for our soul?
Reflection...
Truth originates from God. He cannot lie. His promises are true and He is faithful. This is why our hope in Him is sure, and why all other hopes fail. Any hope in our self, someone else, or some thing will fail at some point in time.
God made good on His promise to Abraham (Gen 21:5). God's promise to us of a personal relationship with Him is grounded on His personal guarantee through His Son Jesus.
Jesus—the only true Son of God by nature (Heb 1:2-3)—guarantees our hope and trust in Him as our Savior. This guarantee is proven by the Lord's resurrection from the dead, which proves He conquered death and its cause, the power of sin.
So, Jesus becomes an anchor for our soul. He is immoveable and unshakeable, and He opened the way into the very presence of God, the Father. This is what is meant by, "behind the curtain in the Most Holy Place in heaven," in reference to the Jewish Temple that represented God's presence on earth under the Old Covenant.
As followers of Jesus, by faith—a genuine personal trust in the Lord—we follow Him into the very presence of God. He is our hope, our anchor.
Make it personal...
Read through the Scripture text again as you consider and answer these questions
Do you have a genuine personal trust relationship with the Lord Jesus?
Have you come to a place of trusting God and His promises?
Are you willing to trust God in the same way Abraham did, with confident patience?
If you're a follower of Jesus, how is your life a reflection of God's faithfulness?
©2017—Word-Strong
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