AMAZING FAITH
13th Jan 2021
Genesis 15:6 says, “Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” He believed that what God had promised would be fulfilled; that God wouldn’t lie or play games with him. If God said He would do such and such - He would.
In this case the promise was that he and Sarah would have a son, would become a great nation, and God would bless him, and through him the whole world. Reading again through the early parts of Genesis I marvel at this faith - in the natural things looked impossible, but Abraham is looking beyond the possible and understands that God is God and with Him all things are possible.
Sarah laughs at even the suggestion of becoming pregnant at her age and the Lord knowing her thought asks Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” This is underlined in Luke 1:37, “For no word from God will ever fail.” God had appeared to both Abraham and Mary and “Said.”
God has made promises recorded in the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit can take the word and bring it to us as a fresh “now” promise that becomes relevant for us personally. God also speaks to us by His Spirit and as sons of God he leads us, and based on what He reveals, we hold on to what He has said until it is accomplished.
Sometimes promises are quickly fulfilled, but sometimes we seem to wait and wait for God to act, but looking back we see His timing is perfect, but living though it and seeking to keep our faith intact can be very tough. Isaiah 8:17 expresses this, “I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob I will put my trust in him.”
It is good to remind yourself of what God has promised and to affirm that you believe, but need His help to keep believing. Faith is not the absence of doubts, but choosing to believe in spite of contrary evidence.
For Abraham belief and obedience to divine instructions went hand in hand, and when God spoke Abraham acted. Jesus made many promises that we access through believing, they become personal when the Holy Spirit takes the written word and speaks in a personal way to our hearts. We say the “Yes and Amen” and hold on to that precious word until it become reality.
If God says it, I believe it and that settles it.
My prayer is that you and I will hold on the what God has promised, without wavering in the knowledge that God can act, and when He does, God’s “suddenly” will be a reality.
by Joyce Sibthorpe
