Daily Devotional for February 16, 2011

Exodus 34:5-9
The LORD God came down in a cloud and stood beside Moses there on the mountain. God spoke his holy name, "the LORD." Then he passed in front of Moses and called out, "I am the LORD God. I am merciful and very patient with my people. I show great love, and I can be trusted. I keep my promises to my people forever, but I also punish anyone who sins. When people sin, I punish them and their children, and also their grandchildren and great-grandchildren." Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped the LORD. He prayed, "LORD, if you really are pleased with me, I pray that you will go with us. It is true that these people are sinful and rebellious, but forgive our sin and let us be your people."

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Life is filled with promises. And being human, we often make promises we cannot keep. Oh, sure… our intentions are often good ones… promises to love someone forever, to stop smoking or drinking… promises to pay back loans or keep in touch with someone. But somehow, “life” gets in the way, as we like to say, and the first thing you know, we’ve broken more promises than we’ve kept.

Aren’t you glad you don’t serve a God who is human and frail? Aren’t you glad that our God keeps His promises… and has since the time of Moses? Doesn’t He deserve our utmost loyalty and devotion… immeasurable trust and confidence… our unfailing obedience? And don’t we often promise all of this… then fall short?

Moses’ prayer should be ours… “forgive our sin and let us be your people” – and because of the blood of Jesus, it can be. God does just this, and more. He understands our humanness and does for us what we cannot seem to do for Him… He loves us even when we break promises to Him and others… and He promises to always do this. God shows us great love, and He can be trusted to keep His promises to us forever. How will you treat Him in return?

©2011 Debbie Robus

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