Has someone ever promised you something and then broken that promise? Maybe you have experienced that in a relationship or in a work situation. When this happens, we often feel let down, discouraged or angry. Sometimes we blame ourselves and say, “What if I had just done this?” As we journey through life, not only do others let us down, but we let others down. While we are quick to focus on other people’s shortcomings, we have done the same thing.
Unlike sinful people, our Lord is not like that. When our Lord makes a promise, He keeps it just like He did with Zechariah. In our story, the angel Gabriel delivered a message to Zechariah telling him his wife would have a child in her old age and the Lord kept His promise. When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” [1] Luke 5:23-25.
What promises has the Lord given to you? During His time on earth, Jesus made many promises about the peace and hope He offers us. This small collection of Jesus’ promises gives us great hope that He truly is the Savior of the world.
- Matthew 11:28-30 – Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” [2]
- John 3:16 – “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.[3]
- John 10:10 – The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. [4]
- John 14:6 – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.[5]
- John 14:27 – “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.[6]
Take time to ponder the promises the Lord has made to you! When we do, it brings great joy and perspective into our life.
To hear the story of Zechariah, listen here:
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 1:23–25, Matthew 11:28-30, John 3:16, John 10:10, John 14:6, John 14:27). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.