A promise kept …

We’ve survived Black Friday!

For many, that meant Christmas shopping lists were greatly reduced, but there’s still some shopping yet to be done. Some people are easy to shop for, others require more thought and a lot more searching. Some people on our shopping lists are just tougher to answer that big question for:

What would be the perfect gift?

Here’s an idea — fulfill a promise.

A promise kept is one of the greatest gifts we receive from others. When someone gives to us what they have promised, they have validated a value of being in relationship with them; they have shown themselves to be worthy of our trust by keeping their promise.

On that first Christmas, God gave the world the gift of a promise kept. By doing so, He profoundly demonstrated (once again) His trustworthiness.

“For the time is coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land,” Jeremiah 23:5.

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’),” Isaiah 7:14.

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past,” Micah 5:2.

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” Isaiah 9:6-7.

“8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger’,” Luke 2:8-12.

God had promised a Savior. On that first Christmas, God kept His promise and gave the world Jesus. A promise kept by God changed the course of human history. A promise kept by you can make a great impact as well.

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? Why not bless God and others by keeping a promise you’ve made to them. It will draw you closer to them and deepen the value of your relationship with them.

Scotty