DATA SPEAKS
Reading the Bible through chronologically each year is one of my favorite ways to study Scripture. When I get to Romans, it is a time to ingest slowly because Paul is so thorough. I came up on Romans 4 and was able to settle in, and enjoy the reading on Father Abraham. I love God's estimate of him, "Abraham believed GOD, and it was credited to him as righteousness." He was given a promise by God that he would be a father of many nations. Twenty-five years passed. The question for Abraham, would GOD? must have come to his finite mind!
I have hunkered down in the promises of GOD, but have often felt that because I was not 100% in trusting GOD that my prayer request may not be answered. As I read the data/the circumstances/ the actions of "against hope" of Abraham, I could identify with him. The promise was twenty-five years in coming. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 plus their bodies were dead as a hammer to reproduce at their ages. Then to consider how Sarah decided to help GOD with the provision of poor Hagar, and now Ishmael is on the scene with Abraham's hope that he would be the child of promise. GOD was gracious and blessed Ishmael, but he was not to be the child of promise. What a challenging statement regarding Abraham, "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." Oh really! How does one explain Ishmael? That looks like a big "waver" in his faith to me. Like Abraham, GOD knows that we are finite and HE is well able to handle the fact: WE are flawed, finite, and frail ! Grace was screamingly evident in the Old Testament and especially in this incident. Because we are flawed, finite, and frail, GOD is so gracious to put into our bankrupt spiritual accounts, HIS righteousness for us to draw upon and to live out of daily. One wonders, with all the "data" that was against Abraham, how did he remain clinging to the promise of GOD? Could it be that GOD is bigger than even the "big data" which is evidence of our being flawed, finite, and frail? Certainly no surprise to an ALL-KNOWING GOD!
I have been praying Y E A R S for some friends, for a change in our circumstance, and for family members. I know that GOD has heard. I, like Abraham, am persuaded that GOD has the power to do as HE had promised, but I also now know from Abraham's adventure that I am being strengthened in my faith to wait and to believe GOD. Like Abraham, I am UNWORTHY, yet, the promise is not grounded on my puny righteousness, but is grounded on GOD who speaks the promise and is perfect righteousness. Because we have believed in GOD who raised JESUS our LORD from the dead, GOD has credited our accounts with righteousness. May we not waver through unbelief regarding the promises of GOD! WAIT!
I have hunkered down in the promises of GOD, but have often felt that because I was not 100% in trusting GOD that my prayer request may not be answered. As I read the data/the circumstances/ the actions of "against hope" of Abraham, I could identify with him. The promise was twenty-five years in coming. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 plus their bodies were dead as a hammer to reproduce at their ages. Then to consider how Sarah decided to help GOD with the provision of poor Hagar, and now Ishmael is on the scene with Abraham's hope that he would be the child of promise. GOD was gracious and blessed Ishmael, but he was not to be the child of promise. What a challenging statement regarding Abraham, "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." Oh really! How does one explain Ishmael? That looks like a big "waver" in his faith to me. Like Abraham, GOD knows that we are finite and HE is well able to handle the fact: WE are flawed, finite, and frail ! Grace was screamingly evident in the Old Testament and especially in this incident. Because we are flawed, finite, and frail, GOD is so gracious to put into our bankrupt spiritual accounts, HIS righteousness for us to draw upon and to live out of daily. One wonders, with all the "data" that was against Abraham, how did he remain clinging to the promise of GOD? Could it be that GOD is bigger than even the "big data" which is evidence of our being flawed, finite, and frail? Certainly no surprise to an ALL-KNOWING GOD!
I have been praying Y E A R S for some friends, for a change in our circumstance, and for family members. I know that GOD has heard. I, like Abraham, am persuaded that GOD has the power to do as HE had promised, but I also now know from Abraham's adventure that I am being strengthened in my faith to wait and to believe GOD. Like Abraham, I am UNWORTHY, yet, the promise is not grounded on my puny righteousness, but is grounded on GOD who speaks the promise and is perfect righteousness. Because we have believed in GOD who raised JESUS our LORD from the dead, GOD has credited our accounts with righteousness. May we not waver through unbelief regarding the promises of GOD! WAIT!
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