Not Easy, But Worth It Sample

Right Standing with God  - Part 1

When you set out on a journey, a roadmap is definitely one of the most essential items that is required. As you and I travel this life of faith on this earth, Abraham gives us a roadmap of how to approach the challenges of faith that come our way.

Abraham had faith that was credited to him as righteousness. What exactly set him apart from the rest? He was given a promise—actually an almost ridiculous promise. In Gen 12, at the age of 75 and childless, God tells him that he will become the father of many nations, that he will have descendants as many as the grains of sand on the seashore and stars in the sky. Honestly, what would you do in his place? I would definitely not give it any more than a passing thought and a good laugh!

Romans 4 tells us that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness—right standing with God! Now don’t all of us believe in God too? What then is it that sets Abraham apart that it was credited to him as righteousness? These four specific lessons here that we can learn from this great man of faith. We will look at two lessons in this post and two more in the next.

First, Abraham faced the fact that his body was dead without weakening in his faith, says verse 19. At that age, his body and Sarah’s are as good as dead as far as childbearing is concerned. It is an obvious, logical, indisputable fact. We see a realistic and courageous man in Abraham who was not pretending or avoiding the obvious fact however contrary it was to this amazing and ridiculous promise. 

What are some obviously "dead" things in your situation today making it difficult to accept the precious promise God has given you?

Second, Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, says verse 20. In spite of the facts being obvious, Abraham chose to go against those facts and believe God. Simply put, unbelief in God is a belief in something else. And belief in anything or anyone other than God can be very shaky and unreliable. 

If the foundations of a house or building are not firm and strong and it wavers, what would be the impact? It would fall flat! Are you wavering through unbelief in God and belief in something else today? The impact can be nothing but a fall.

Lord as I face the obvious dead situations in my life today, give me the courage to face facts and yet not waver through unbelief, but to simply trust You.