“God has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them we may share in his divine nature (become like Jesus) and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:4
Heavenly Father, what a centering gift this passage is to us. First, thank you for giving us your “great and precious promises.” Your promises represent things you have planned in eternity, keep without exception, and implement with “Swiss-timing-on-steroids.”
Your promises aren’t blank checks we fill in and cash. They are the perfection of your plan, executed in the fullness of time, by the riches of your grace. You have never over promised and you will never under-deliver. In this glorious sense, your promises claim us, we don’t claim them. Hallelujah, this affirmation is SO freeing.
Second, thank you for clarifying why you have given us so many promises in the Bible. By your promises, we don’t program you; you transform us. To “share in your divine nature” is to become like Jesus, not become “little gods” exercising micro-sovereignty over anything or anybody. Indeed, your promises are way more about our holiness than our happiness—us “escaping corruption,” not accumulating possessions, minimizing disappointments, or controlling outcomes. Abba, you began a work in us, creation, and history that you will complete.
Third, your promises direct our gaze away from ourselves to Jesus. For Jesus is the emphatic “Yes!” to every promise you ever made (2 Cor.1:20), He is the point, basis, guarantee, and goal of all your promises. This means we will never over love Jesus, be too in awe of him, or too passionate for his glory. May it be, Father, may it increasingly be so. So Very Amen.