Remembrance of the Promise Keeper’s Love (9/10/26)

My sister, Jane, has journaled regularly since she was young. I rarely journaled as a kid, but I started journaling after becoming a parent. I wanted to capture memorable moments in the children’s lives so we could all look back and remember.

God doesn’t need to journal so He can look back and remember, but He does write things down for our benefit. Last week, in Malachi 3:13-15, we heard the Israelites arrogantly question God about rewarding the wicked and not blessing the faithful. However, they failed to see that they weren’t faithful. So, this week, we will see how God wrote down promises for His true followers so they would be assured of His blessings to come.

Malachi 3:16-18     Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

God promises eternal life to His followers! He won’t mistakenly bless the wicked and curse the righteous, as the Israelites accused Him of doing. He wrote a scroll of remembrance so those who live for Him can be confident in His promises. It may seem like the wicked get away with evil in this life, but “on the day when [God] acts,” He will dwell with His people in a New Heaven and New Earth and send the wicked to a Lake of Fire.

Revelation 21:5-8   He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

On that day, will God call you His child and treasured possession? If so, we can be assured of a marvelous eternity with Him, no matter how horrible things may seem or become in this life. We have His written Word to help us remember His past faithfulness and His promises for the future. Which promises will you cling to today?

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Wipe Away Tears (3/19/26)

Sarah came home in tears last night from horseback riding. Her favorite horse has a disease that appears incurable after several different treatments. He has been declining, and she was told that he will be put down soon. She hasn’t been able to ride him in quite some time.

Death is inevitable on this earth. However, God is preparing a new heaven and new earth, free from death and suffering. After the millennium and after Satan and his followers are thrown into the lake of fire (as we’ve studied recently in Revelation), Jesus’ followers will join God in the new and perfect creation.

Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

What painful struggles are you experiencing right now? How are you encouraged knowing there will be a day when that won’t be the case anymore, ever again? How does the promise of a future free from suffering bring you comfort and hope?

It is beyond imagination how glorious the new heaven and new earth will be! No death, no hurt, no fear, no pain, no conflict, no stress, no disappointment. The most elated feeling we have ever experienced won’t compare to the joy in God’s presence on that day and for all eternity!

Alice