God gives us promises for the future.
The very nature of a promise is that it will happen in the future. I promise I’ll pay you back in 6 months. I promise I’ll take you out on our anniversary. I promise I’ll call you next week.
We must wait patiently for God’s timing to fulfill his promises. God has promised believers eternal salvation and enjoyment of Christ in the presence of God in heaven. We’ve entered into salvation, but God requires us to persevere in faith to receive the fullness of our salvation in the future. The author of Hebrews tells us we must imitate the faith and patience of others who waited to receive God’s promises:
so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (6.12)
The writer of Hebrews uses Abraham as an example. God promised Abraham a son and many descendants when he was 75 years old. Yet he had to wait 25 years before that son would be born. And it was 60 years after the promise that his first grandchild was born.
Imagine how excited Abraham was when God first promised him a son. Yes! Thank you Lord! Sarah, let’s get the room ready. I’ll take the camel over to Trader Nimrod’s and get some blue paint. Anything else we need? How about a yak skin pack ‘n play?
6 months go by. No child. A year passes. Then 2 years. Sarah’s still not pregnant. Can you imagine how Abraham would have been tempted to doubt God’s promise? He could have thought, “What’s the point of trusting God? Nothing’s changed.” But he kept believing. He kept praying. He kept waiting. 5 years go by. Then 10, 15, 20 years. Faith. Patience. More faith. More patience. How long must we wait O Lord? Finally 24 years pass since God made the promise. One day Sarah says, “Abraham, something’s different. I think I may be pregnant. Finally, after 25 years God fulfills his promise to give Abraham a son.
This is the kind of faith and patience that inherits the promises. How long have you asked God to save your grown child? Keep praying. How long have you sought God to grow your church? Keep seeking. How long have you knocked on heaven’s door for God to help you conquer a particular sin? Keep knocking.
Be patient, God’s promises are sure.
