Living in the Reliability of God’s Word
God’s promises arrive with certainty because His character is unshakable.
Devotional Credit:
Day by Day by Grace
By Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
In today’s devotional from Bob Hoekstra, we are reminded that living by grace and trusting in God’s promises are not separate disciplines but two expressions of the same reality. Grace is God working in and through His people, and His promises are the revealed foundation of that work. Faith, therefore, is not a mere mental exercise or an act of stubborn willpower, but a confident reliance on the God who speaks truth and keeps His word.
Sarah’s story illustrates this beautifully. She initially tried to bring God’s promise to pass through her own plan, urging Abraham to have a child through her maid. Later, she laughed at the idea that she, now old, could bear a son. Yet somewhere between those faltering steps and God’s perfect timing, her faith matured. She came to a place where she not only heard the promise but judged the Promiser faithful. In that posture of trust, she received the ability to conceive Isaac, even though the natural means had long since failed.
Her faith was not rooted in optimism or positive thinking. It was anchored in the unchanging reliability of God’s character. She considered who He had shown Himself to be, and concluded that He would do exactly what He said. That is the essence of a proper response to God’s promises: seeing His trustworthiness and leaning into it with our whole being.
This same God invites us to rest in His promises today. As we yield to His life in us, we will find His promises becoming living realities, not through human ingenuity, but through the faithfulness of the One who cannot lie.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I have never failed in what I have promised. My words are sure, and My purposes stand. When I speak, it is done. When I declare, it comes to pass. Do not measure the possibility of My promises by what you see in yourself or in your circumstances. Look instead at Me.
I am faithful, and I cannot deny Myself. I began a good work in you, and I will bring it to completion. I have seated you with Me in the heavenly places, and My life is your life. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is working in you now.
Let your heart be anchored in My reliability. As Sarah judged Me faithful and received what I promised, so you can rest in My sufficiency. My grace is not dependent on your resources, timing, or ability. It flows from My own endless supply. Trust Me, yield to Me, and watch how I bring My word to life in you.
Scripture References: Hebrews 11:11, Genesis 16:2, Genesis 18:10–12, Numbers 23:19, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 2:6, Romans 4:20–21, 2 Timothy 2:13
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine placing an online order from a company you have always found reliable. You do not spend the next week worrying about whether the package will arrive. You know their track record, so you simply anticipate its delivery. In the same way, when God has spoken, His character guarantees fulfillment.
So, when you encounter a situation today that tempts you to doubt—whether it’s waiting for provision, resolution in a strained relationship, or the fruit of a ministry effort—pause and say, “Lord, I trust You to bring about what You have promised in Your way and in Your time through Your life in me.” This is not resignation; it is resting in the absolute certainty of His word.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that Your promises are as unshakable as Your character. You have bound Yourself to Your word, and I can rest knowing that You will accomplish all You have spoken. I rejoice that my part is not to force outcomes but to trust in Your faithfulness. Thank You for making Your life my life, for working in me what You have already purposed, and for being the same yesterday, today, and forever.