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God's Promises Are More Than Just Words
EL CAJON, CA (December 20, 2004) - Editor's note: In preparation for the
Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing seven
devotionals that originally appeared in local church newsletters and are
being published here by permission. The following comes from Craig
Knudsen, pastor of Community Covenant Church.
By Craig Knudsen
"For with God nothing is impossible." (Luke 1:37 in New Living
Translation - words from the angel Gabriel to Mary regarding the Virgin
Birth)
I want to alert you to a mistranslation that appears in most Bibles
regarding the Christmas story.
It hasn't been corrected - except in the Amplified Bible - because
people have gotten so used to hearing it that, if it was changed, there
would be an uproar. But (in Luke 1:37) the word "nothing" is incorrect.
The Greek word is 'rama,' which means "words spoken" or, more
specifically in this case "God's words spoken."
Here's what Luke 1:37 should say: "For with God, no word shall be
without power!" Or it could be translated this way: "No word from
God will be impossible to fulfill!" And that was probably very
reassuring to Mary's ears . . . that whatever God says, they aren't just
empty words, but you can count on them happening, even if you can't
figure out how in the world He is going to pull it off.
Another way we could read this text for us is, "For no word of God is
without power!" In other words, any "word" from God will be accompanied
by the appropriate POWER to see that it is executed. When God speaks His
words, He commissions the Holy Spirit to perform. God will come through
on what he says.
This is good news for us, for when God makes a commitment to you or me,
we can know it is not just verbs, adjectives and nouns flowing from His
lips. God isn't saying these words just so we can play with them. With
His words comes the power of the Holy Spirit to make them true in your
life. And so, God brings life into the dark womb of a teenage girl in
order to work out deliverance for a lost and confused human race.
I know that many of you have had some major life change over this past
year. For some, Christmas will be a joyful time, a fun time. For others,
this could be a Christmas of "firsts," such as the first Christmas
married, first Christmas with a child (or a second child), first
Christmas without a child coming home, first Christmas without a spouse,
maybe first Christmas with no presents because the dollars aren't there.
It's when our circumstances are darker that we lean into the true
translation of this sentence in Luke from Gabriel, "For no word of
God is without power!" I
wonder what other promises you need to grab hold of in that spirit:
- There is now no condemnation for those who are "in" Jesus Christ.
- God is my fortress and strength; an ever present help in times of
trouble.
- I am with you always.
- Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has
turned gray, I will take care of you.
- Ask and God will give it to you. Search and you will find. Knock and
the door will open for you.
- "I myself, will search for my sheep and take care of them," says the
Lord.
- You are not a slave, you are God's child and He will give you the
blessing He promised because you are His child.
These are just a few of the "ramas" in the Bible from God to you. These
words have power. I hope you would latch onto the one you need and
realize He will bring the power of those words into your dark
circumstances if you allow Him (as Mary found out), when God says
something to someone . . . He comes through. May God come through for
you this Christmas as you experience the power of His word in your life.
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