Genesis 15
Genesis 15
Abraham’s faith is truly outstanding. Imagine the Lord speaking to you in the middle of the night, calling you to a foreign land, promising you offspring in your 90’s, and then not giving you offspring right away. God promised that Abraham would be a great nation three chapters earlier and not much has changed. It would have been natural for Abraham to have said, “yeah right, I’ll believe it when I see it, God.” But this story teaches us that sometimes God’s faithfulness looks different than what we thought, but it’s always better than what we imagined.
The situation looked bleak, but what did Abraham do? He believed in God. He trusted God’s word over present circumstances, and God “counted it to him as righteousness.” Romans 4 says that Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised,” and that was what made him righteous. Are you fully convinced of God’s goodness and faithfulness? Is your belief greater than your circumstance?
God’s faithfulness would be questioned again. When Jesus, the long-awaited, promised Messiah died and was put in a grave. THAT looked different than what people thought. Romans 4 continues…
“But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We can often overcomplicate faith, but Scripture calls us to have “child-like” faith (Matt 18:3). Choose to believe that your father in heaven is faithful and that HIS way is best. Believe in the Lord - that he loves you, died for you, dwells within you. Trust in God - more than your current circumstance, more than your strength, more than your wealth.
Family Discussion
By: Joe Weaver
Abraham’s faith is truly outstanding. Imagine the Lord speaking to you in the middle of the night, calling you to a foreign land, promising you offspring in your 90’s, and then not giving you offspring right away. God promised that Abraham would be a great nation three chapters earlier and not much has changed. It would have been natural for Abraham to have said, “yeah right, I’ll believe it when I see it, God.” But this story teaches us that sometimes God’s faithfulness looks different than what we thought, but it’s always better than what we imagined.
The situation looked bleak, but what did Abraham do? He believed in God. He trusted God’s word over present circumstances, and God “counted it to him as righteousness.” Romans 4 says that Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised,” and that was what made him righteous. Are you fully convinced of God’s goodness and faithfulness? Is your belief greater than your circumstance?
God’s faithfulness would be questioned again. When Jesus, the long-awaited, promised Messiah died and was put in a grave. THAT looked different than what people thought. Romans 4 continues…
“But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We can often overcomplicate faith, but Scripture calls us to have “child-like” faith (Matt 18:3). Choose to believe that your father in heaven is faithful and that HIS way is best. Believe in the Lord - that he loves you, died for you, dwells within you. Trust in God - more than your current circumstance, more than your strength, more than your wealth.
Family Discussion
- Has someone ever broken a promise they made to you?
- How can we be sure that God will NEVER break his promises?
- How can faith make us righteous?
By: Joe Weaver
1 Comment
"...sometimes God's faithfulness looks different than what we thought, but it's always better than what we imagined."
That's a good one Joe. I'm going to meditate on that one all day!