A Promise – June 22, 2024

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. . . I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’”
Ezekiel 17:22-24

A Promise

Have you ever made a promise and then broke it? That question gets personal when you think of the promises you have made to your spouse, children, or best friend and how many times you have let them down. That question gets more personal when you think of the promises you have made to God, and how many times you have failed him. It is one big reason we struggle with so much guilt.

Did you notice in the reading from Ezekiel, how many promises your Sovereign Lord makes to you? He declares, “I myself will… I will… I will do it.” He promised to raise a small shoot into a great tree that would provide shelter and shade for all who nest in that tree. The small shoot that becomes a great tree is Jesus Christ, your Savior from all sin. The birds who nest in the tree are all the people who come to Jesus for rest from their guilt. The shade and shelter the tree provides is the loving and merciful care that Jesus gives to you.

Now, if you want to see the impact of these words in Ezekiel, look at them this way: For every time you said “I will” to your Lord but didn’t, your Lord said “I will” to you and did. And you can see what he did on another tree. He died for you on the cross. From that tree, there is forgiveness for all your broken promises. From that tree, there is a promise kept that leads to eternal life.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for my broken promises to you. Thank you for keeping your promise to me. Thank you for the refuge I have in Jesus. Amen.