Clinging to God’s promises, safe in the arms of Jesus

Father, within Your glorious love story to Your people, Your eternal covenant promises are now fulfilled in Jesus Christ, through the “new covenant” in His blood.¹ You gave these promises throughout the Old Testament, and You’ve fulfilled so many of them already.²

By Your Spirit’s work,³ I treasure Your promise of the gospel. You’ve made the old covenant “obsolete” through the sinless obedience of Jesus, His atoning death in my place, and His victorious resurrection.

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13 ESV).

As I read any of Your words of the old covenant in the Old Testament, please remind me of what is now true for me as one who has been redeemed. 

I’m safe in the arms of Jesus.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Gal. 3:13-14 ESV). 

Am I afraid I’m not actually a believer?

Maybe the worst agony of pain and suffering is when Your redeemed people become afraid that we haven’t repented enough, that our sins weren’t actually covered enough, or that our good works aren’t good enough.

Father, help Your believing sheep to know, without any doubt, that they’re totally safe in the arms of Jesus, Your outstretched arms of covenant love for them. That the person and work of Christ for them is enough. “It is finished.”

If some reading this need to be “made alive” as true believers, bring them into Your family with the good news of the gospel. Today. Right now.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit (1 Pet. 3:18 CSB). 

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1 ESV).

Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetly my soul shall rest.
Hark! ’tis the voice of angels,
Borne in a song to me,
Over the fields of glory,
Over the jasper sea.

(“Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” Crosby, F., 1868)

Am I afraid to die? Clinging to God’s promises, into that fear

Jesus says, “Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn. 11:25 CSB). 

Now, You’ve graciously given me so many promises as one who trusts in You for salvation, for I do believe! This is my obedience, having turned to You in repentance and belief, Lord Jesus. I want to follow You, wherever You guide me to walk. Even into the valleys of Psalm 23. No matter what earthly sufferings I endure in my earthly life, I know You will help me to trust and love You until the day I see You.

I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Heb. 8:10 ESV, emphasis added). 

Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations,
Sin cannot harm me there.

Am I afraid of worse suffering? Of more losses to grieve?

Suffering is such a tempting time to doubt Your gospel promises, Lord. But, into my tears and fears, help me remember that it’s by Your gracious gift of faith that I even can trust You; it’s not anything in myself but only what You continually do within me. For I needed to be crucified with Christ, with my inborn sin nature nailed to the cross; now, it’s not my old self that is alive, but You are living in me by Your indwelling Holy Spirit.⁴

I am Your new creation in Christ!⁵

You fulfilled this promise in me and will continue to do so, as You conform me more and more to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). 

It’s only in my union with Jesus Christ that I can walk through anything that is coming and resist temptations to sin as I suffer with trials. How freeing as I rest and abide in Your arms of covenant love!

Free from the blight of sorrow,
Free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials,
Only a few more tears.

Am I afraid of being alone, abandoned, or even abandoning You?

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them (Is. 42:16 ESV).

So, my promise-keeping God of covenant love, as I read and sing of all Your precious promises to me, guard my emotions and thoughts.

For perhaps my fears reveal my desire for control of “blind” and “rough” paths.

But Jesus, even there? You promise.

I’m safe in Your arms, Jesus.

Oh Lord, help me to simply rest in and trust Your promises and perfect plans for my life, for Your promises are “yes” in Jesus. He is my Lord and my Light, and I will never, ever be alone or forsaken, in Christ.

That is why it is through [Christ] that we utter our Amen to God for his glory (2 Cor. 1:20 ESV).

Help me to remember that I only have Your promises in Christ, through Christ, because of Christ, and with Christ, my beloved risen and reigning Savior who prays for me:

Jesus, my heart’s dear refuge,
Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages,
Ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience,
Wait till the night is o’er;
Wait till I see the morning
Break on the golden shore.

To the praise of His glory and Your glorious grace to me! Amen.

Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023

Resources of Singing Christ’s Hope Into Suffering

Sister in Christ, we are always safe because we are His, always held in God’s covenant love. I’m clinging to and cherishing every single word of His Word and this song He constantly brings to mind as I suffer with progressively serious illness, approaching brain surgery. Let’s praise Him for that amazing gift this week, reminding our hearts in the process.

I’ve created a playlist gift to accompany these beautiful promises, all centered on His glorious love story, the good news of the gospel. When doubts and fears creep into our thoughts, pray-singing to Him for His truth is His beautiful gift of love as we suffer. I pray this will help both of us, in whatever suffering this week holds.

1. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 16:60; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 13:20-21  ↩︎
2.  Romans 1:1-6  ↩︎
3.  2 Corinthians 3:6  ↩︎
4. Ezekiel 36:26; Galatians 2:20  ↩︎
5.  2 Corinthians 5:17 ↩︎