In what ways can we trust God's promises in our own lives today? Setting the Scene Genesis 16 places us beside a desperate, pregnant Hagar fleeing into the wilderness. Into her loneliness steps “the Angel of the LORD,” and He makes a stunning declaration: “Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, ‘I will surely multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.’” (Genesis 16:10) One sentence, yet packed with assurance. Hagar, a marginalized servant, receives an iron-clad promise straight from God. Her story gives us a template for trusting every promise He speaks to us today. What God Promised Hagar • A certain outcome—“I will surely multiply” • A measurable result—“offspring … too numerous to count” • A future that overrides her present pain The promise came unprovoked by Hagar’s merit; it flowed purely from God’s character and plan. Why This Promise Matters to Us The God who met Hagar still meets people. The circumstances differ, but His nature never does: • “God is not a man, that He should lie… Has He said, and will He not do it?” (Numbers 23:19) • “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness.” (Psalm 33:4) So, the same reliability that guaranteed countless descendants for Hagar secures every line of Scripture we claim today. Ways We Can Trust God’s Promises Today • God Sees and Knows “You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13) He noticed a runaway servant; He notices every detail of our lives, making His promises deeply personal. • God Speaks and Acts “For not a single word which the Lord had spoken… failed; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45) His promises are declarations, not suggestions. What He speaks, He performs. • God Is Faithful to His Word “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) Our grip may weaken; His faithfulness does not. • God Works Despite Our Failures Abram and Sarai’s impatience birthed Hagar’s trial, yet God still blessed. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13) • God Provides Future Hope Hagar’s promise stretched generations into the future. Likewise, many of God’s assurances outlast our present moment, anchoring us beyond what we can see. • God Gives Personal Assurances “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:16) Internal confirmation from the Spirit strengthens our confidence in every external promise. Living It Out 1. Read His promises aloud; faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17). 2. Record fulfilled promises; memory fuels trust. 3. Align choices with what God has said, not with fluctuating feelings. 4. Encourage others by sharing how God has kept His word in your life. 5. Rest—literally rest—knowing promises do not depend on frantic human effort but on His unchanging character (Hebrews 4:9-10). From a desert spring with Hagar to our modern lives, God’s promises remain unbreakable. Stake everything on them; He cannot lie, and He never fails. |
    |