Devotional Thoughts for Today
“The Promise Keeper”
Genesis 48:18-22
And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”
One of the many lessons I try to teach my children is to always be someone who keeps their promises. A few weeks ago, one of my daughters promised me that she would clean her room by a certain day, but when the day had arrived, her room was still not clean. Even though I was disappointed by her lack of responsibility, it was a teaching moment for me; so I explained to her that as God’s children, we are called to keep our promises.
As we look at the end of Genesis 48, we see that God is a Promise Keeper. True to His word for His name’s sake, He keeps His covenants from generation to generation. Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, share in Jacob’s blessing, but the younger Ephraim gets a larger portion of favor. Joseph objects when this happens because his father defies the normal custom, which typically grants a greater blessing to the older son. Later in biblical history, in Egypt and at the exodus, Ephraim and Manasseh were great tribes. All of these details point back to the covenant God had made with Abraham when He promised that He would make of him a great nation filled with prosperity (Genesis 12:2). God has always kept His promises throughout history and generations.
Here are a few promises in Scripture about who God is and who we are:
- Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6)
- The same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8)
- Sure Foundation (Isa 28:16)
- He is for us (Rom 8:31)
- Our strength (Phil 4:13)
- We are forgiven (Col 1:14)
- We are loved (John 3:16)
What does it mean that God is a promise keeper? One practical application is that He is trustworthy. We can surrender our lives to Him. Spend time today meditating on the promises of God in Christ Jesus. Pray that you would continually be surrendered to His will and kingdom purposes.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that you are the ultimate Promise Keeper. Help me to trust in all my circumstances. May I be surrendered to Your will and calling for my life today. Amen!
Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 12
I enjoy watching “transformational reality shows”—they are reality shows where there is a great amount of change from the beginning to the end: for example, shows like The Biggest Loser, Fixer Upper, and Undercover Boss. Whether it be a body being transformed by getting in shape, an old house getting restored, or changes made in a company—positive change gives us encouragement and gives us hope that change is possible.
Often, when people of faith come to confront death, they see life with a greater clarity. Poet Edmund Waller writes:
Yesterday was a sad day as we mourned the death of evangelist Billy Graham. He preached to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history, which was nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories, with “hundreds of millions more” viewing him on television, video, film and webcasts. He continued to do crusades even into his 80’s, and when asked what his purpose in life was, Billy responded, “My one purpose in life, is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ.” Billy will be remembered for his impact he had proclaiming the gospel in the world. He lived a life well-lived and finished well.
All Christians experience suffering—whether it be in the past, present, or in the future. But just because we experience suffering as we await the redemption of our bodies, it doesn’t mean that our suffering is random or without purpose. And neither does it mean that Scripture doesn’t tell us how to think about our suffering now. Tim Keller, in Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, puts it like this:
It’s a hard concept to grasp that God uses the failures and shortcomings of His people and redeems it for His glory. I recently heard a testimony of a Christian leader who fell into the addiction of pornography. It had almost destroyed his marriage, family, and his ministry; but through the love and support of people around him, he received treatment for his addiction and now helps others with similar struggles. What a story of redemption!
The AMI QT Devotionals from February 19-25 are provided by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church (Raleigh). David, a graduate of Drexel University and Columbia International University (M.Div.) is married to Helen (“Pie”) and they have three beautiful daughters (Cara, Phoebe, and Ruth).
A few years ago, I had forgotten to pick up my daughter after school. I remember that I had gotten extremely busy that day with work and meetings and I eventually forgot what time it was. Her school eventually called me and when I picked her up, she was quick to forgive me for being late, but the reality is that no one likes to be forgotten.
Death is something that few like to think about or talk about, but we all know that death is inevitable and unavoidable. We would rather talk about living a good life, but sooner or later, we have to face our mortality. Though it may seem morbid and depressing, maybe we would be much better off, if— instead of thinking about having a good time and avoiding death—we thought about what it means to die well.
One of the most laborious and painstaking things in life is—moving. This past summer my family moved from our old apartment into our new house, and while we were thankful for God’s provision of a new home, the process was not fun at all. If you’ve moved recently, you know that it’s so much work: you pack up all of your belongings and put them in boxes, much less load up a truck, recruit help, unload, clean your old place and your new place, and the list goes on. Because there’s just so much work involved, as people get older, there is a growing desire to be settled. I’d imagine that for most of us, by the time we reach retirement age, the last thing we’d want to do is to move.
My parents came to the United States as refugees who fled from Vietnam. They, along with my sister who was a toddler at the time, immigrated with no money or possessions, and no knowledge of the culture or English. You would think that they had little chance of surviving or that they were doomed to live a life of poverty, but what they experienced was far from that. They were sponsored by a local church that gave so freely and generously to my family. This church helped my parents find housing, taught them English and how to drive, and helped find jobs and even childcare. My parents were incredibly blessed and so thankful for the lavish generosity and favor shown them by strangers.