Abraham Went in Faith

 Genesis 12:1-9, Romans 4:13-25

In Genesis, the Lord gives a command to Abram, who becomes Abraham, to go from his country to a land God will show him. He is promised that God will make of him a great nation where God will bless them. So, Abram went. This was not an easy task. He had a wife, a nephew, workers, and livestock to bring, yet he went. When God talks to him again at Canaan the Lord promises to give this land to his offspring. So, in response Abram builds an altar to the Lord and continues his journey.

“So, Abram went,” is an extraordinary statement. It is free of indecision, self-doubt, or stubbornness and shows radical dependence on God’s word.

Paul acknowledges this in our Romans passage where he praises Abraham’s faith saying it was reckoned – made to him as righteousness. He tells of all the factors which would have kept Abraham from believing and following God’s directive. Abram’s age being 100 and the barrenness of Sara’s body did not cause him to doubt. He had faith that God could do the impossible to make the Lord’s promises come true. Paul says, “No distrust caused him to waver” but he grew strong in his faith being convinced that God was able to do what the Lord had promised.

Paul brings this example to us that it will be reckoned to us who believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus who carried our transgressions and was raised for our justification. To all then who follow Abraham’s example of faith. By embodying this faith of Christ dying for our sins we are reckoned – made righteous.

It is easy to fail to trust God’s promises when hard things happen in our lives. – things we find impossible to solve. Let us cling on to the faith of Abraham that God who can make a 100 year old man and a barren wife become the beginning of a great nation, can do what we find impossible in our lives. Let us like Abraham go out in faith.

 

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