FORETOLD AND FULFILLED: TRUSTING THE GOD WHO KEEPS HIS WORD
Rashawn Nance
Today’s Scripture: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5, ESV
Theme: The prophets continually foretold the coming Messiah with hundreds of specific prophecies, all fulfilled in Jesus.
GOD’S PLAN, SPOKEN IN ADVANCE
Long before Jesus was born, God’s people were given promises through the prophets. Isaiah’s words are just one example—so detailed and specific that they could only be fully understood in the light of Jesus’ life and sacrifice. The prophets didn’t just give vague hope; they gave clear signs to look for, reminders that God’s plan for salvation was intentional and unstoppable.
A SAVIOR WHO SUFFERS FOR US
Isaiah 53:5 shows us a Messiah who would not only come in power, but also in humility and pain. He would take on our brokenness, our mistakes, our burdens. Every wound He suffered was for our healing. Every prophecy fulfilled is a reminder that God keeps His promises, no matter how long it takes or how impossible it seems.
FAITHFULNESS ACROSS GENERATIONS
For hundreds of years, God’s people waited. They clung to these prophecies through exile, oppression, and silence. When Jesus came, every detail—His birth, His suffering, His resurrection—matched what the prophets had said. God’s faithfulness didn’t just show up for one generation; it stretches across time, reaching us today.
HIS FAITHFULNESS IN MY LIFE
I’ll be honest—there have been times in my life when I’ve wondered if God really sees what I’m going through or hears my prayers. As a dad, a business owner, and just as a person trying to do the right thing, I’ve had moments where I felt like I was waiting and waiting for God to come through—sometimes with hope, sometimes with doubt. But when I look back, I can see how God has always been working, even in the waiting.
There were seasons when I faced challenges I didn’t expect—times I worried about providing for my family, or if I was making the right choices for my kids and my business. But it’s in those moments, looking back, that I realize God’s faithfulness was steady—even when I couldn’t see it in the moment.
Make It Personal: Isaiah’s words remind me that God’s promises are not just for “someday”—they’re for right now, for real people with real struggles. If you’re in a season of waiting, or if you’re praying for something you haven’t seen yet, I want you to know you’re not alone. God sees you. He’s proven, again and again, that He keeps His Word. Hold on to hope. His timing is perfect.
Pray: Lord, thank You for being a promise-keeper. Thank You for sending Jesus, just as You said You would, to bring us peace and healing. Help me to trust You with the promises I’m waiting on in my own life. Give me patience, faith, and hope, knowing that You are always working for my good. Amen.
Read: Isaiah 53; Luke 24:25–27; 2 Corinthians 1:20
Weekly Memory Verse: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2, ESV