Genesis 18:13-15 [NIV] | Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Trusting in the unknown or events beyond our control can be challenging. When Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90, the thought of having a child seemed impossible, after all, Sarah was past her childbearing years. When Sarah heard the news that she would bear Abraham a son, she laughed. Sarah questioned God’s ability to fulfil his promise. We too face times in our lives when we laugh at God thinking he cannot do what may appear to be impossible. The Angel of the Lord asked Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Jesus reminds us that God can do the incredible, like saving us from our sin. Speaking to his disciples, Jesus shares with them the sacrifice one must make to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples ask who could meet such a challenge. “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26). God can do what man cannot accomplish on his own merits. If God can save us from the eternal consequences of our sin, imagine the power he has when we place our complete trust in him.

Like Sarah we may find ourselves not being truthful with God and ourselves concerning our full trust in in God’s ability to fulfill his promises. In some circumstances of life, we might find ourselves facing moments of doubt wondering if God is really listening or cares. When Jesus followed the will of our Heavenly Father and allowed himself to be placed on the cross to die, he died for all to fulfill what was impossible for us to accomplish. If God loves us that much why would we not trust him in all things? With God all things are possible when we seek his will for our lives.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to accomplish what was impossible for man. We praise you for the gift of new life we have in Christ. May your Holy Spirit help us place our complete trust in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Action Plan:
Today I commit to prayer trusting in God that he can help me…

Psalm 28:7 [NIV] | The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Christmas has passed and we can take a moment to reflect on the gifts received from our loved ones. Giving is a sign of love, an action that is not required but a response of care and concern. God tells Abram prior to the promise of receiving a son that he has already been given Abram a gift, “I am your shield, your great reward” (Genesis 15:1). In times of crisis, we can rest in the assurance that God is our shield, our great reward. A reward is something given, not only because it is earned, but also because it is promised. The problem we often face is not putting our trust in the one who is our protector.

Jesus came to be our shield against the eternal consequences of sin. He came to be our shield against the powers of Satan. And Jesus came to shield us from eternal death and give us life. For all who put their trust in Jesus there is a promise of help and protection. Even though we try to fight the battles of the world alone, it is in Christ we have the strength to endure. We can rejoice in the promises of God as we face a new day knowing we have Jesus as a great reward – our Shield.

As the day presents itself with challenges, we put our hope in the one who is ready to help and protect us this day. We pray that God would protect us from sin and evil. We also pray that God would protect and shield us from all harm. As God protects us, we offer our lives to him as living sacrifices giving him all glory and honor. We have a great Shield! God is our unmerited reward. Praise be to God who loves us unconditionally.

Prayer: (Luther’s Morning Prayer)
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Action Plan:
I admit I am a sinner and need to seek God’s help against temptation. Today I give God my struggle against…

There are days, perhaps weeks and months, when we wonder if God is really listening. As we face the challenges in this life we may question if God really cares and understands our struggles. Before Jesus began his three-year journey on earth preaching and teaching, Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus out into the wilderness to experience temptation from the Satan. As man, Jesus fully understands our battle against the evil one.

In the face of hunger Jesus is tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread. Jesus does not give in, he boldly says to Satan, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” While food is a necessity in life, it is the Word of God that sustains us. Jesus did not exhibit his own glory by performing a miracle but displayed trust in the Word of His Father. We too are challenged to put our trust in God and his Word. At times he may put us to the test.

God understands our weakness and our inability to fight the temptations of the evil one. Our Father knows we cannot live as he desires, and we continue to fall short of his glory. Jesus came to forgive our shortfalls and gives us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our lives. God promises to give us all we need to fight temptation. In Christ we live on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take away the sins of the world and for giving us your Holy Spirit to help lead and guide our lives for you. Help us to fight temptation and seek your Word in all we say and do. Amen.

Action Plan:
Today I will put my trust in God in an area of weakness I face. Today I commit to seeking God’s help with…

Did God really need to ask Adam how he discovered his nakedness? No. God is all knowing. God gives Adam the first opportunity to confess and admit his guilt. Adam had a choice, lie or tell the truth. But did he tell the whole truth? No. Adam wanted to place all the blame on Eve, “¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Adam was fully aware he was not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We are much like Adam. We know the Commands and will of God. We know what is right and wrong, yet when we sin, we want to blame someone else. God gives us the opportunity to be truthful and confess to him through the blood of Jesus. Our confession is an admittance and agreement with God that we did not live up to His expectations. Through Christ, God release us from the burden and penalty of sin. By faith in Christ, we are redeemed.

As we go out into a world filled with temptation, we can walk in the assurance that nothing can tempt us beyond what we can handle through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Unfortunately, like Adam, we fall to temptation rejecting the commands of God. We praise God for the gift of forgiveness we have in Jesus.

RESPONSE:

How can I better rely on God’s power and strength to say no to temptations that lead into sin?