Some days the sun shines bright, others it's cloudy and gloomy. Was it so with Jesus?
Yes! Matthew says of Him at Gethsemane, "He began to be sorrowful and very heavy" (Matt. 26:37, 38). Even earlier when the Greeks came to Him, He said, "Now is My soul troubled" (John 12:27).
Has God provided for such a time in our personal experience? Yes! He has given us His new covenant to replace our old covenant; it's His own one-sided, unilateral promises which He made to Abraham His "friend" and to his descendants. If, like Abraham, you respond to God's call, "come out of [Babylon], My people," you are a descendant of Abraham "in Christ," and all those promises are made to you (2 Chron. 20:7; Rev. 14:8; 18:1-4; Rom. 4:1, 16, 17, etc.). What are those new covenant promises?
1. He will make of you a "great" person "in Christ." Yes!
2. He will "bless" you "in Christ." Yes!
3. He will actually make your "name great," which means, "He will give you the desires of your heart" "in Christ" (cf. Psalm 37:4). True!
4. He will deliver you from being a cipher, so you will "be a blessing" wherever you go, "in Christ." Wonderful, but true!
5. He will "bless those who bless you," "in Christ." Amazing.
6. He will not bless those who don't bless you. Again, very true!
7. You will help bring salvation to the world (all taken from Gen. 12:2, 3). Now, "believe" the Lord your God as your "father Abraham" did!
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.------------------------------
