Christmas Devotional - Day 2: Christmas is About Keeping The Promise

Years ago, I was involved in an organization called "Promise Keepers". The organization drew me in at first because of its name. I had been a "promise breaker" my whole life. That's an awful thing alone, but it wasn’t the worst of it. What is worse is, I thought nothing of breaking all those promises. If it was more convenient, less painful, and personally costly it would have been a no brainer for me. I just didn’t do it, didn’t follow through, didn’t show up. The Holy Spirit showing me the reality of the destruction in my wake made "Promise Keepers" engaging to me. Something inside of me longed to be a man of integrity and character. It had become a desire I could no longer ignore.
 
What I didn’t know at the time is, that at its root, my desire to be a man of character was actually a desire to be like God. To be conformed to His image. You see, God always keeps His promises. Eight hundred years before the first Christmas, God made a promise.
 
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Is 9:2,6–7
 
The promise is made to those who walk in spiritual darkness. Lost, blind, and unable to find God. Alone in the dark. The promise is that they will see a great light. There is nothing more comforting than a light when you are lost in the dark. The light will come through a male child born into this darkness. This child is "given", indicating that He will come from God (Jms 1:17). He is to rule over His ever-increasing kingdom (the increase of his government and of peace) not by might and war - but by making peace between God and men. He Himself is not a normal child, He is Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to His kingdom as it will be established and upheld by justice and with righteousness.
 
Eight hundred years later God kept His promise when at the right time (Ro 5:6) this child was born of the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20). Because this child was the creator of life, In him was life, and the life was the light of men (Jn 1:4). He grew up living a perfect sinless life and established His kingdom by justice and with righteousness. Christ's kingdom is established and upheld by these two means through the cross; by "justice" in that the sins of the elect were paid for. We earned death and Jesus upheld justice by dying for us. At the same time His perfect "righteousness" was imputed to us so that we enter and inhabit His kingdom. In this way His kingdom is established and in this way His kingdom is upheld, meaning it continues from this time forth and forevermore.

Christmas is a reminder that God keeps His promises to the smallest detail. You can count on it. Stop for a few moments and thank Him for being an always faithful, promise keeping God. Are there any promises that come to mind that you need to follow through on?