And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.
- 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 4
God's promises throughout the Bible are many—from the covenant with Abraham to the promise of the messiah. Yet many of these took many lifetimes to fulfil—and indeed we are still waiting for a few. Yet despite worries, failures, and disbelief each and every promise from God has and will be fulfilled.
An impossible promise
When God promised Abraham as many descendants as there are stars in the sky (Genesis chapter 26, verse 4), there was no obvious way for this to be fulfilled—his wife Sarah was elderly and barren, and he had no children. It looked impossible.
In Abraham's lack of faith he conceived a son with his concubine—seeing no possible way for God's promise to be fulfilled through Sarah. Yet God blessed him with a child through Sarah, leading to the eventual founding of Israel and salvation for all.
The rejected Messiah
The promise of the Messiah took hundreds of years to be fulfilled in Jesus.
However, even then it looked like the promise had failed. On the cross, rejected and abandoned, Jesus appeared far from the promise of freedom and salvation. God's promised king seemed to be cut down in His prime.
Yet it was this act, the death on the cross, which fulfilled the greatest promise of God and His ultimate expression of love.
Jesus conquered death and sin once and for all, and was raised to life—a promise for the future resurrection.
Better than I imagine
Though I sometimes doubt in the promises God has made, and wonder where my life will lead, the imminent birth of my first child reminds me the true remarkable glory of God may just be around the corner—better than I could imagine.
Even when the biggest promises in the Bible seemed impossible, such as the death on the cross, they are a prelude to an even more miraculous fulfilment.
I now wait in eager anticipation, expectantly, and with patience for the life that God has for me and my family. I know—as is the case with all of God's promises—that this promise will be fulfilled in His time and will be even better than I can imagine.
Nathanael Yates from Perth, Western Australia, is an award-winning young scientist completing a PhD in the neurobiology of schizophrenia
Nathanael Yates' previous articles may be viewed atwww.pressserviceinternational.org/nathanael-yates.html