Saturday of the First Week of Advent

Today's Reading: Introit: Psalm 105:4–8; antiphon: Isaiah 40:3b

Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 9:8-10:11; 1 Peter 5:1-14

“Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered... He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations.” (Psalm 105)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. I promise. Have you ever said those words before? Did you mean them or did you say them because that was what was expected of you? Our words, our promises, often fall flat. We don’t mean them, we break them, we put all sorts of stipulations on them. Thankfully, God’s words and promises are not carelessly spoken. When God makes a promise, God follows through with His promise.

Of all the promises that God has made, they all stem from a singular promise, that of Jesus: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). That promise set the tone for God and His creation. Could God have left creation in its state of sin? Yes, He could, but He wouldn’t, He couldn’t. God had created man so that man would live with Him forever. Satan had made that an impossibility. God would do something to make sure that that would not happen. There, God made a promise, a promise made not only to Satan but a promise made to man as well. That promise was for salvation.

God’s promise made is a promise fulfilled. Psalm 105, gives thanks for God’s faithfulness to the covenant He made with Abraham, a covenant which said that Abraham would be the father of many nations. How does that covenant relate to God’s promise of salvation? In both instances, God makes and God keeps a promise.

God’s promise is a promise made to you and for you; but not just for you but for all of creation. This promise is one that will bring the blessings which God desires for all people - blessings that bring life for all who believe, the forgiveness of sins, and life for all believers in Christ.

This promise is for a thousand generations. To put that into perspective, there are 76 generations between Adam and Jesus. What does that mean for us? It means that God’s promises, His blessings, His Word extends beyond the generations to all of creation, in every time and every place. His promises are not reserved for a select few but are intended for all. In turn, that means that His salvation is intended for all as well. His promise of salvation is for you, now and forevermore. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Blessing on the Word)

Pastor Jared Tucher serves the dual-parish of St. John – Farmer’s Retreat in Dillsboro and St. Paul, Cross Plains, Indiana.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.