Pocket Thoughts - 8/28/26

The promise of a Savior was given in the Garden of Eden when God told the serpent, “He will crush your head…” (Genesis 3:15b). Later in Genesis, God made His covenant with Abraham, assuring him that all nations on earth would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:3b). Abraham longed to see the fulfillment of God’s promise in his lifetime, but he went to his death with hope and trust in God’s faithfulness to carry out His plan. Through the death and resurrection of God’s Son Jesus, the plan would one day be complete. Jesus Christ came into this world just as God had promised. He dealt with the hard-hearted, spiritually blind religious leaders of His day, saying to them, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; he saw it and was glad.” The Lord had clearly orchestrated history to present the Messiah to His people, and the men most educated in the law of God refused to recognize Him out of pride and fear of losing their power over the people. When Jesus declared that He was “I AM,” the name for Himself that God had revealed to Moses in the desert, the religious leaders were overcome with fury and attempted unsuccessfully to stone Jesus. Jesus is Who He claimed to be – the Rescuer God has been promising from the very beginning. Do you believe? Our hope is in the Lord. “…There is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12b).

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Lord, if You promised it, we can trust that it will come to pass. Your promises are “yes” and “amen.” Forgive us when we doubt, when we question Your timing or Your heart or Your motive. Forgive us when our pride causes us to bristle at Your plans for our lives. Forgive us when we know Your truth but opt for lesser wisdom. God, keep us from being modern-day Pharisees! We have only to turn to Your Word to be reminded of Your character and Your goodness, Your sovereignty and Your holiness. Let us not deny what we find there. Holy Spirit, help us to desire to trust and obey the Father wholeheartedly. Father God, many through the centuries have longed to see You and to know You as we see and know You. We’re humbled at this incredulous gift, and we praise and pray to You in Jesus’ beautiful Name. Amen.