Daily Devotional 8/18/22

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
2 Corinthians 1:19-20

The release of the iPad sparked a buying frenzy. Long lines snaked outside Apple stores as customers waited for hours for the chance to snag one. Because of shortages, it wasn’t unusual for people to wait in vain, only to be told when they reached the front of the line that the store had no more in stock.
One man, lucky enough to snag one, wasn’t so lucky when he arrived home with his purchase in hand. A few days later, Apple received his iPad in the mail, bearing this simple note: “Wife said no.”
Apple workers got a chuckle from that message, and it wasn’t long before executives in the company caught wind of it. Instead of just chuckling, they refunded the man’s money and sent him a new iPad bearing this simple note: “Apple says yes.” I am guessing that they made two people quite happy that day—the husband who got his beloved iPad back and the wife who realized he hadn’t spent a penny for it.
I love the story because it reminds me that yes is one of the most popular words in the English language. Do you love me? Will I get that job? Will my children be okay? Will I ever lose weight? These and a thousand other questions, spoken and unspoken, beg for the answer yes. But so often the answer we hear is no. No, you aren’t that pretty. No, you aren’t that smart. No, you aren’t that thin. No, you aren’t that rich.
The world has so many ways of saying no to us. But when God sent his only Son, he said the biggest yes of all. Yes to a future full of hope. Yes to peace with God. Yes to living a life of purpose and meaning. Yes to eternal life. Today try counting all the yeses God has already said in your life, thanking him for each one.

Father, I know that sometimes you do say no. But I believe your nos are given in love, designed to lead me to the biggest yes of all: living forever with you.