What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us (Romans 8:31–34, esv).
God loves you. He is for you. Nothing will change His love for you. But He also longs for you to love Him back. Not because He needs your love, but because He made you to be at your very best when you love Him with everything you’ve got!
The way the Lord values His relationship with you can’t be appreciated until you realize how incredibly invested our God is in keeping His promises to you. How can we not be overwhelmed by the significance of Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Once His plan was in motion to save sinners, God didn’t hesitate to put His own Son on the line to make that salvation a reality at great cost. Having given so much, God will surely never refuse to follow through on, in smaller ways, what He did perfectly and completely for us in Christ. His divine integrity is at stake. He doesn’t make promises He won’t keep.
The character of the Promiser is on the line in every promise He has made. If God couldn’t or didn’t keep His promises, both His goodness and His sovereignty would be in question. The promises in Psalm 23—green pastures, still waters, and the restoration of your soul—are all guaranteed “for his name’s sake.” That means God keeps His promises because the fame of His name is at stake.
This is true at the divine level as well as at our level. Can people count on your word? When you commit to do something, to what lengths will you go to keep your promise? Remember, how much you are willing to invest or sacrifice in order to keep a promise is a direct reflection on how much you value the relationship with the one to whom you have made the promise.
God honors the one “who swears to his own hurt” (Psalm 15:4). Whenever your back is against the wall and every decision seems critical, your first action must always be to keep your word and do what you promise—even if the consequences are negative for you. This approach comes with a price tag at times, but it also teaches you to think twice before making promises. If you give your word, you’ve got to follow through, even at unexpected personal cost. Life becomes the sum total of the commitments you’ve made—and kept!
Treating our own promises seriously highlights the powerful and precious nature of God’s promises. He’s the only Promiser fully capable of carrying out everything He commits to do. He knew full well what it would cost to keep His promises to us—and He made them anyway. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Journal
Pray
Lord, if all You had given me was Your Son as a perfect payment for a debt I could never pay, I could spend eternity expressing my thanks—but You have done and continue to do so much more. Your promises and faithfulness are new every morning, and continue to amaze me. Thank You for revealing Yourself as the ultimate promiser, in whom I can completely trust. I claim Your precious promises in Jesus’ name, amen.