Born of Promise, Not Performance
Trusting the promise means flipping the switch to God's power, not scrambling for our own batteries.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s devotional from Bob Hoekstra draws our attention to God’s unwavering commitment to fulfill His promises, not only in the life of Abraham but in the lives of all who belong to Him. Abraham’s two sons—Ishmael and Isaac—serve as symbolic contrasts between fleshly striving and divine fulfillment. Ishmael came through human planning and effort, while Isaac was born purely through the promise and power of God. In this distinction, Paul reminds us that we, too, are not products of human striving or self-effort, but of God’s promise.
The story reveals a common human tendency: when God’s promises seem delayed, we try to assist Him with our solutions. That’s exactly what Abraham and Sarah did. Rather than waiting on the Lord’s timing, they engineered a plan to bring about the promised son through Hagar. But God’s covenant was not with Ishmael, the child of fleshly invention—it was with Isaac, the child of promise, born when human hope had run out and only divine provision could prevail.
This isn’t just about Abraham’s family; it’s about our identity in Christ. Like Isaac, we were not born of the flesh or by the will of man but of God. We didn’t earn our place in God’s family by effort or pedigree. We were born of the Spirit, through faith in the gospel of grace—a promise fulfilled in Christ. Every attempt to live for God through our own energy mirrors the birth of Ishmael, but resting in God’s sufficiency leads to the fruit of Isaac.
As believers, we are invited to live each day not by striving but by trusting. Our relationship with God began by promise, and it continues by that same promise. He who began a good work in us will carry it on—not because we deserve it or force it, but because He is faithful.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are not the result of human effort or your own determination. You are My child because I called you, because I promised you life, and because I fulfilled that promise through My Son. I made you new when you could do nothing to make yourself worthy. Just as I gave Isaac to Abraham at the appointed time, I gave you new birth through My Spirit at the appointed moment.
Do not return to the ways of the flesh, trying to accomplish in your own power what I have already fulfilled through grace. You are not called to perform for Me—you are called to live by faith in Me. My promises are not empty declarations; they are living realities fulfilled in Christ. I have already blessed you with every spiritual blessing. You lack nothing, for My life dwells within you.
Just as Isaac was born through My faithfulness, so your spiritual life is sustained by My Spirit. Yield to Me. Trust Me. Let My life flow through you today—not as one trying to measure up, but as one resting in what I’ve already done. You are My child of promise. Let your life testify to that truth.
Scripture References: Galatians 4:22–28; Genesis 12:2–3; Genesis 15:3–4; Genesis 16:1–4; Genesis 17:21; Genesis 21:1; Galatians 3:2–3; Romans 9:8; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 1:6; John 1:12–13
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like using a battery-powered flashlight when the house already has electricity. You might rummage through drawers for batteries, test the power button repeatedly, and still end up in the dark. But the moment you flip the light switch and connect to the house’s power, everything changes. The light doesn’t come from your effort—it comes from the current that’s always been there.
Today, instead of trying to "power through" in your own energy, pause. Whisper to the Lord, “I trust You to express Your life in and through me in this moment.” Whether you're facing a hard conversation, a moment of temptation, or a task that overwhelms you, remember: your light shines not by your power but by His promise already fulfilled in Christ.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for birthing me into Your family through promise and not performance. I praise You that my life in Christ began by grace and continues by that same grace. I rest today in Your faithfulness, confident that what You started, You will complete. I no longer reach for the tools of the flesh to live a spiritual life. Instead, I yield to the indwelling presence of Christ and trust You to live Your life through me—moment by moment, breath by breath. I rejoice that I am a child of promise. Amen.