Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

~Psalm 5:12 ESV

A few years ago, my co-worker brought in a car dealership flyer he received in the mail.

It read if his symbol matched the one on the scratch-off, he would win a prize of $100,000. You know the type you probably just toss to the side with the rest of the junk mail. To his surprise, however, the symbols did match!

Now let me tell you, he is not the type of person to get excited about this type of stuff. He is very analytical and takes the time to read over everything. Simply put, you can’t get much past him. So surely, he thought, “This is too good to be true.” I watched him go through the office at the end of the day as he asked others to read over the flyer. They all agreed – based on what they could see, it appeared that he in fact did win. Most of us know the odds of winning these types of prizes are pretty slim, but maybe this was his lucky day!

Finally, he came into my office. I could see both the fluster and excitement in his face. I carefully read over the flyer several times and even checked out the website.

Then it hit me.

All the way at the bottom in teeny weenie size font on the flyer was “the fine print.” It read:

“Select the prize you would like to play for. If your symbols match you could win 1 of 6 prizes, which includes $100,000.”As I watched his emotions change when reality set in that he did not win what was first presented, I was reminded of the verse that I read earlier that morning, “Surely, Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12 ESV).

• Surely: Firmly, certainly, inevitably or without fail

• Favor: Pleasure, delight, goodwill

• Shield: A thing that protects; a covering

Unlike the catch that was attached to my co-worker’s prize, as children of God, we don’t have to second-guess His promises. There is no fine print in God’s Word. It is settled forever in heaven. He has promised that “surely goodness and mercy shall follow (us) all the days of (our) life” (see Psalm. 23:6). I don’t know about you, but that makes my heart smile! For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 1:20 a). Everything that He has promised in His word is available to all those who trust in Him.

The wonderful thing is we don’t have to wait for a flyer to come in the mail, hoping our symbols will match. We simply just need to take the time to dig into God’s words and claim the treasures that He has waiting for us. No stipulations. No one in a million odds of winning. No gimmicks. Just truth.

So, dig deep friend.

There is a real prize waiting for you!

What is your favorite promise in God’s Word?

Heavenly Father, thank You that your promises in the Bible are true, and there is no deceit nor trickery with You. I can rest in Your unfailing Word, and build my life around this sure foundation.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Adapted from Pages From My Heart: A Devotional for Women, by Lekeisha (Ford) Maldon: Used with Permission

Copyright 2021: The Fine Print: Lekeisha Maldon: All Rights Reserved