Fully Convinced

Opening Reflection

God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as many as the stars, yet for years he and Sarah had no child. By the time the promise was renewed, Abraham was about a hundred years old and Sarah was well past the age of bearing children. Every visible circumstance said the promise could not come true. As we turn to those who leaned on God’s promises, Abraham stands first in line.

Taking a Devotional View

Paul tells us that Abraham “did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19). Abraham’s faith did not ignore the facts; it looked straight at them and then looked beyond them to the God “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17). Abraham was not a flawless man. There were moments when he tried to help the promise along in his own way. Yet the direction of his life was trust, and Paul says his faith “was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:22). Then Paul adds that these words “were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also” (Romans 4:23–24).

Notice how Abraham’s faith grew: “he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.” Praising God before we see the fulfillment is one of the ways faith is strengthened. When we look at a promise that seems impossible and choose to thank God for who He is, our confidence is placed where it belongs. Leaning like Abraham means making our decisions in light of what God has said rather than what our circumstances suggest. It also means our lives become a testimony. Abraham is called “the father of all who believe” (Romans 4:11), and in a smaller way, our faithful trust can encourage those who come after us, especially those who are watching how we respond when God’s promises seem slow.

God of Abraham, You give life to the dead and call into existence what does not exist. When I look at my circumstances, my faith often wavers. Help me, like Abraham, to see the facts honestly and still trust that You are able to do what You have promised. Teach me to give You glory before I see the answer, and to make my choices according to Your Word. May my trust in You encourage others who are waiting on Your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Next in the Series

He Entrusted Himself — Abraham trusted the God who was able to fulfill His promise. Next, we will look to Jesus, who entrusted Himself perfectly to the Father even in the face of unjust suffering.