Romans 4.20-22 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but
was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully
persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why
“it was credited to him as righteousness.” – St.Paul
In Genesis 1.28, God made this statement: “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky
and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” That became the
mission of mankind from that moment forth. And that mission lasts to this day although
man’s acceptance of it has somewhat diminished.
However, in Abraham’s day the mission was still nearly
full-strength. That is why having a child was so important to Abraham. The
culture of those days included the richness of offspring. And Abraham wanted
offspring, as did every other red-blooded man. Families were wealth. Children
were important.
Abraham, however, had a problem – his wife, Sarah, was
barren; beautiful but barren. Sarah could not conceive. I know of people who
couldn’t/can’t conceive in these days and their lives are (to them) less than
fulfilled. They yearn for children – if only even a child. Sarah was barren and
Abraham was bothered. But Abraham believed God – the God who said, I will make you the father of many nations,
you will bear many children. (Cf. Genesis 12.1-3)
And it was Abraham’s bothered belief that kept him going
through all the childless years.
What keeps us going through the things that bother us?
What keeps us going through hardship, pain, scarcity, frustration, losing hope?
Enter the magnitude of faith – not faith in what we want, but faith in God and
what He has said. God told Abraham, “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…”
And what made it all work for Abraham was this: he believed God. And in his belief, God
made him acceptable. We may or may not be acceptable on earth, but what really
matters is if we are acceptable in heaven. Abraham, one man, made the
difference for us all in that, he did not
waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in
his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do
what he had promised. People like Abraham are the people God is willing to
work with.
Friends, are we people like Abraham – those who are willing,
against all hope, to hope in God and in the things He has promised? Abraham was
bothered in a way many of us can identify with: life isn’t going the way we imagined. But Abraham decided to
believe in the One who promised. Can we do the same?
Father in Heaven,
You are the same today, yesterday, and forever. You have promised to take care
of me no matter the swirling circumstances around me. I ask today that you
increase my faith to be a person You are willing to work with – not so that I
can get my way, but that it may be credited to me as righteousness. Thank You
God, for the gift of faith – it doesn’t take much but is does take some…
Amen
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