You’ve heard from me all these years. Today it’s my honor to share some musings with you from my husband of 30 years, the man you all have prayed for. I hope you’ll enjoy his insights as much as I have. Please welcome Scott to the blog today.

How God Fulfills His Promises by Scott Bengtson

I recently read a blog post by a favorite Christian author entitled “God will fulfill His promises to you.” It was a Christmas time post and the author referred to the experience of Mary as recorded in Luke chapter 1, when the angel that appeared to her promised God’s blessing.

As I read through it, I was struck by the insufficiency of human language to capture the truth of God fulfilling His promises. I don’t know what the significance of the original Greek or Aramaic term for “fulfill” is, but in English the word “fulfill” is a rather weak term. It is probably most associated with the action that Amazon takes when you click the order button, and some little box with a treasure in it shows up on your doorstep in two days.

In our experience, “fulfill” is transient and minimally sufficient. It has little significance beyond the transaction. Once it’s completed we are on to the next event in our lives, or the next transaction. It has no permanence. And our common expectation is that fulfillment will rise to only a minimum standard and nothing more. If you order one can of chicken noodle soup from Amazon you expect one can, and nothing else except packing material.

In God’s economy, His “fulfillment” is opposite on both of these points. It is not transient, and it is not minimal. When God fulfills a promise, He does it with abundance. God’s fulfillment has a permanence that human fulfillment does not. God’s fulfillment of His promise to Mary wasn’t just for the moment, or even for her lifetime. Her blessing has echoed through the ages since then.

God’s fulfillment was not just the completion of a contractual obligation. He fulfills not to a minimum requirement, but to a maximum potential. He fulfills promises as many different ways as He can, from as many different perspectives as He can. He redeemed the pain and embarrassment Mary surely felt at becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

He spoke truths via the words of Simeon and Anna in Jesus’ early days that gave Mary an insight, likely far beyond what she could have understood before. He gave her a son, and a son to be proud of. Her child became in His time a social and religious leader and is universally acknowledged to be the most influential figure in human history. Most significantly, God’s fulfillment of His promise gave Mary a Savior, and He made that Savior available to the whole world.

When Mary figuratively opened the gift of the promised blessing from God she never reached the bottom of the box. God didn’t just fulfill his promise to Mary like Amazon shipping an order. He filled her life. The same way, He continues to fulfill his promise to Abraham that through him all nations of the earth will be blessed. He continues to fulfill His promise to David that he will always have a descendent on the throne.

He didn’t stop fulfilling His promise to Mary even though she has long since passed away. Think of the regard that Mary is held in by billions of people.

He continues to fulfill His promises in our lives. New boxes with little smiles on them and a heavenly postmark arrive daily on the doorsteps of those who are Mary’s spiritual descendants.

While we await a specific fulfillment of a specific promise, or the work of God in a specific area of our lives, we can still look for His fulfillment of promise other ways and in other areas. He may not have blessed you with the hoped-for restoration of a marriage or other relationship, but He may have opened opportunities for greater fellowship with other believers. He might not have corrected a health concern, but He may have provided a greater appreciation of beauty in the natural world.

What are you looking for? But what do you see?

May you be blessed as you see the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life,

Scott Bengtson

The Hope Prevails Bible study ~ available at book retailers

Are you or is someone you love experiencing depression? This book offers tangible help, hope, and healing from someone who’s been there and has come out on the other side.

In this Bible study companion to Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey through Depression, Dr. Bengtson, a neuropsychologist with over 25 years of experience, shares both her clinical expertise and her own personal journey through depression.

Dr. Bengtson’s personal experience is interwoven with questions for reflection, key thoughts, music playlist suggestions, resources, plus a leader’s guide.

This Bible study can be used as a companion to Hope Prevails or independent study by an individual or is perfect in a small or larger group study. Useful for churches and counseling practices.

“Authentic connections, raw insights, and powerful truths. A great resource for individuals that would be highly beneficial to both church and counseling groups.” ~ Pastor Debbie Kitterman, Founder, Dare 2 Hear Ministry