“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.”

Devotion based on Jeremiah 33:14

When a dog hears you say outside or walk, you better be taking that dog for a walk! Even if it’s something that only sounds like one of those words, he’s hearing you make a promise, “We’re going for a walk!”

When a child hears the hint or suggestion of doing something or going somewhere exciting, don’t they react with similar enthusiasm? What a thrill when a child hears a parent announce, “Pack a bag. We are leaving for grandma and grandpa’s house tomorrow!” Oh my, what excitement. From a child’s perspective, they just can’t wait!

Sadly, there are times when promises made become promises broken. Someone did not keep their word. The let-down is huge. The disappointment is real. When that begins to happen too often, we question if the promise is real. We stop believing.

Not so with our Lord. “The days are coming…,” he promised. Although the wait seemed long to God’s people of the Old Testament, God’s promises remained with them. God had made and fulfilled many promises to his people.

Those fulfilled promises were preludes to a greater promise—or as Jeremiah called it in today’s Bible passage, “the good promise.” All God’s promises gave people hope in God’s greater promise yet to be fulfilled. This promise was so good that God repeated it over and over to his people throughout history. People believed in it. Why? Because God was the promise-maker. The Lord always keeps his promises!

The season of Advent before Christmas is so exciting—Christ is coming! It means God kept his “good promise” that he made to us! God’s fulfilled promises give us the certain hope—that when God makes a promise, he will always keep it!

Prayer: