The Heart of the Gospel: The Promise

The Heart of the Gospel: The Promise
Date posted: 01.08.25

As we begin a new year, we will use the SOAP method to walk through five significant passages that highlight the story of the gospel. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Each day, we’ll focus on a passage of Scripture that leads us through God’s rescue plan for us.

Scripture

Read through the daily passage once. Read it a second time and highlight words or phrases that stand out to you. Then, read it a third time and make notes about the Scripture. There’s no set number for how many times you read through the Scripture, but reading more than once will deepen your understanding of the passage.

 

Observation

Now, take time to reflect on the meaning of the passage. Write out questions you have or research words that stood out to you. Here are questions that can help in your reflection:

  • What’s happening in this passage? Is it an instruction, a description of who God is, a historical account, or something else?
  • What truths can I learn from this passage?
  • What is God revealing to me?
  • Why are these words or phrases standing out to me? (We recommend using Blue Letter Bible when researching words or phrases.)

 

Application

How can you apply principles from this passage? Keep these questions in mind:

  • What are the basic truths from this passage?
  • How can these truths be applied to things happening in my life?

 

Prayer

In this last step, take your thoughts, reflections, and questions and turn them into a prayer. Ask God for guidance about how to apply His truth to your life. Pray for wisdom to understand God’s heart through His Word and for strength to respond to what He’s saying to you.

The Promise

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

– Genesis 12:1-4

 

3 “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob,
    all the remnant of the people of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since your birth,
    and have carried since you were born.
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

– Isaiah 46:3-4

 

About this passage

The story continues to unfold after Adam and Eve are forced to leave the Garden. Later in the book of Genesis, we meet Abram. We don’t know a lot about the early part of his life, but he was chosen by God to reveal the next chapter of His plan. Read about the promise God made that led to this one family birthing an entire nation – a people chosen by God. The rest of the Old Testament follows their divine destiny toward the promise of salvation.

Scripture – read the passage once, then again to see what stands out
Observation – be curious; what is unique or something you need to study more
Application – what is God saying to you; is there a nudge to respond or act on something
Prayer – turn your notes, questions, and nudges into a prayer; ask God to lead you