Promises

On Christmas Eve we had a special service where each person could select a gift, a wrapped box containing a Biblical promise. As I chose verses to include, I got really excited about some of them. I would find myself saying, I’d like that verse. When the time came to choose, and I opened my box, and read my verse, and I was disappointed. It wasn’t the verse I wanted. What is more, I felt like it was a verse I already had well in hand, something I was already doing. I would guess that God didn’t think so.

The premise of the activity was that all the verses would be good life guides, but that the Holy Spirit would supervise who got what verse. That would trust that God knows what we could use to guide us.

Here’s the amazing part of the Bible. My verse starting by saying, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Now I feel like I already do that, defend the oppressed and the fatherless and the widow. So I could take that God gave this verse as an affirmation and encouragement of the work he has already given me to do. In addition, this verse begins by saying Learn to do right. That is a lifelong lesson. We know what is right, but to apply it correctly in every situation, that is an everyday learning experience. I can’t honestly say that I still need to work on that, all of us will always be continuing to learn to do right. So this verse certainly applies to me.

The verse I wanted to draw was this one, "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you." Hosea 10:12. I love the thought of the showers of righteousness and the fact that it starts with my sowing my own righteousness.

The silly part of my reaction is that all the Bible is mine to claim. I don't have to pull Hosea 10:12 out of a box in order to use it for encouragement. Anything I read can be used for benefit, as "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The task is mine to claim and cherish the verses God lays on my heart.

We didn't use all the gifts on Christmas Eve. I plan to soak in my original verse for a month, then open another one. Open your own gift from God today, read your Bible and see what God has to say.