Trust the Recipe
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:13-20
Insight
One of the things I love the most is coming home, walking up the steps, and seeing my wife and two daughters laughing in the kitchen through the window. Jenn can bake with the best of them (as my expanding waistline can attest). Over the years, she has been passing down the tricks of the trade to our daughters. Every recipe she teaches requires an extra helping of patience from Jenn due to our eager beavers, who want to do everything on their own.
When our girls were younger, they would put the sweet treat in the oven to bake and wait. Quickly, they learned that waiting was indeed the hardest part. The anticipation was too much for them to bear. They wore the oven light out by constantly flipping it on and off. They would swing open the door to get a better view, hoping it would speed up the process. And if that didn't do the trick, they would whine to Jenn, "How much longer? You said we could have cookies!" With the steadiness of a saint, Jenn would smile and say, "I promise you'll get them soon enough. Trust the recipe!"
And without fail, their promise came true in the form of a delectable dessert (with a huge chunk cut out for yours truly). But as gratifying as that first bite was, the waiting was excruciating. Our girls could have concluded that mom was holding out on them and quickly taken matters into their own hands by grabbing some oven mitts and bringing out the dessert early. From their limited perspective, it might have seemed like a good idea, but it would have only left them with an ooey-gooey mess.
Growth, trust, and faith reside between the promise and its delivery.
Twenty-five years went by from the time God promised Abraham a son to the birth of Isaac. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until God led them to the Promised Land. And for three days, all hope felt lost for the disciples until Jesus rose again and conquered death.
When disappointment rears its ugly head, or adversity appears in our lives, every day can feel like an eternity. Time stands still. Our focus and thoughts lock onto our circumstances. The pain and struggle are so intense that we can lose hope and perspective. We wonder, "How can God be for my good if He lets me endure this for so long? Doesn't He care?"
Everything goes back to one critical question: Can the person who made the promise be trusted to deliver it? Amid this ever-changing world, the one thing that remains the same is God's promises. Because of that, we can be greatly encouraged. Trusting in the One who embodies truth enables us to stand securely in His promises. Our hope is so immovable that it's described as an "anchor for the soul." The waves and winds might kick up, and the sea might get rocky, but our hearts and souls can remain at peace.
Reflection
What unchanging promise of God do you need to anchor yourself to for security?
Prayer
God, may my hope always remain anchored to Your truth and secured by Your promises. Encourage me to trust Your ways, even when they don't make sense. May I spend my days walking in confidence that only Your love provides. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.