God’s Promises Never Fail

December 23, 2025 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent 
Daily Readings: Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24; Luke 1: 57-66
 

Children of God: The first SVD missionaries arrived on the shores of India in 1932. Their mission was filled with zeal but also with trials. When World War II broke out, all the German missionaries were imprisoned for around two years by the British authorities who ruled India at that time. The mission could have ended there, but God’s hand was at work. Through faith and perseverance, the small mission survived and later flourished. Today, in 2025, the SVD presence in India is already 93 years old—a living proof that God fulfills His promises, though not always in the ways or timing we expect. His plan unfolds steadily, often through hardship, but always toward blessing.

This is also the same for Elizabeth who gave birth to a son, and her neighbors rejoiced with her, for the Lord has shown His great mercy. When the time came to name the child, Zechariah confirmed the angel’s message and wrote, “His name is John” (Luke 1:63), which means “God is gracious.” Immediately, his tongue was freed, and he began to praise God. What was once thought impossible became possible because God’s promise was fulfilled. John’s birth was not just the answer to his parents’ prayers. It was the beginning of a greater plan, preparing the way for the Savior.

This gospel reminds us that God’s timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed. Zechariah and Elizabeth waited for years in barrenness, and the SVD missionaries in India endured years of uncertainty. Yet in both stories, faith turned waiting into witnessing. God does not forget His promises; He fulfills them at the moment that best reveals His glory. Our task is not to question His timing but to trust His heart.

Many times, we grow impatient with God. We want instant answers and quick solutions. But faith means believing that God is working even in silence. Like Elizabeth, we may feel that our time has passed, but God’s plans are never late. They come at the right moment, when our hearts are ready to receive the blessing and give Him the glory.

Children of God: Let us hold firmly to God’s promises. What He has spoken, He will accomplish. Even when we cannot see the full picture, let us trust that His hand is shaping our story just as He shaped the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth. God’s promises may take time, but they never fail.