Thurs Devo: Dependably Above and Beyond

God said “The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout.” So, who’s staff do you think sprouted? You probably guessed it. It was Aaron’s, of course!

Numbers 17:6-9       ⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. ⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.⁹ Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

God doesn’t just partially keep His word, or kind of do what he says. He fully follows through. In fact, He goes beyond what He promises! Aaron’s staff not only sprouted, but it budded, blossomed and produced almonds all in a day’s time!!!

Can you think of other times God has gone above and beyond what He promised?

The biggest and most important one is when He sent His Son, Jesus. From one of the verses we read last week, He promised to send a Savior to save us from our sins:

Matthew 1:21            ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

But God did so much more through sending Jesus:

Acts 5:30-32              ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Not only did God send Jesus to save us from the deserved penalty for our sins, but He also gave the Holy Spirit to guide us on this earth in addition to eternal life with Him after this life!

Will you join me in praising our dependable God for always going above and beyond what He has promised?

As Kent talked about yesterday, let’s not be foolish and ignore all the proofs and signs God has already given, but wisely recognize, believe, and proclaim all God has done!

Alice