THE PROMISE REALIZED THROUGH FAITH
There is JOY in the Blessings of GOD
My Bible reading this morning began with Romans 4:13 which says,
“For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.”
And as I prepared to keep reading, my mind held me there. I pondered the words of the Apostle Paul as he recapped a piece from the very first book of the Bible. Not only did I not move forward in my reading but instead I flipped back to Genesis 12 to read the account again for myself.
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Genesis 12:1-2
The name Abram means “father is exalted”.[1] God chose him to be the recipient of His invitation, promise, and blessing. Not because he was young, strong, or perfect for the task that would be set before him, but instead “through the righteousness of his faith.” (Romans 4:13). Abram was righteous only because of his faith in God, and this faith indicated God was exalted in life.
The conditions of God’s invitation to Abram meant:
· Departing from his home and his family
· Abandoning his means of personal security
· Leaving the known for the unknown.
The promises of his acceptance meant:
· God would show him the land to go to
· God would make of him a great nation.
· God would bless him.
· God would make his name great.
From the perspective of the current day, it seems like a no-brainer –right? But as I attempted to put myself in Abram’s position (pretending to not know the outcome) the faith of this Old Testament Patriarch became more than a Biblical story that I had read many times before. He wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t sinless, but he was faithful. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)
Lost in my thoughts I glanced at the unorganized chaos that was covering my desk, with one Bible opened to Genesis and one to Romans. The heading of this passage in Romans read “The promise realized through faith.” Over 2000 pages separated these two books, yet both revealed the faith of the same man and a promise given to him. And as easy as it can be sometimes to make it all about how great Abraham was, it’s really not about him at all. Instead, it’s about the sovereignty of a Holy God that uses the unexpected and most often unlikely people who are willing to walk in faithful obedience. Their faith in all the moments of life allowed them to become instrumental vessels that God used to bless the entire earth through.
God’s blessings don’t exclude challenges and obstacles. They don’t promise easy paths with no resistance. They most often don’t reveal a mapped-out picture from beginning to end. And they may seem to make little sense to our human brains. But Faith allows us to trust and exalt God over all things.
As I began to close my Bible and clean off my desk, my thoughts went back to the words I had scribbled in a blue five-star notebook that had unintentionally become my designated space for Bible study notes and questions. It read like this:
“I wonder how many times I have mistakenly underestimated the power and failed to see the purpose or reason for the many gifts and blessings that God has given me? I wonder how many times I have selfishly misused them –How many times have I devalued them? How many times have I ignored them and tossed them out as if they were trash? How many times have I been blessed and never used that blessing to bless others?”
The invitation offered to Abram from God served a much bigger purpose than what he could’ve seen all those many years ago. Yes, God would deliver all that he promised him. He would show him a land, he would make him a great nation, he would bless his name and make him great. But God would do all of that so that Abraham would be a blessing to others. (Genesis 12:2).
The blessings given by God may or may not appear as blessings at the time. They may be unexpected and filled with unknowns. They may be unfamiliar and bring with them uncertainty. They may make us feel uncomfortable as we are asked to step away from our current “comforts.” They may be challenging and difficult. But don’t underestimate the power of God and his purpose to grow His Kingdom through the willingness of His faithful children.
There is purpose in the blessings we receive. As one of my favorite songs says:
“This is my prayer in the harvest.
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again.
The seed I've received I will sow.”
(Desert Song by Hillsong)
*Listen below*
I pray that we are consistently reminded that the “Promise is realized through Faith.”
That His blessings are abundant in the lives of his faithful children.
That our purpose for being filled up by His love is so that we can empty that love out to others.
And let us never forget the value of the seed we have been given to sow.
Because even though it may seem small and insignificant, that one seed can produce a harvest of righteous fruit when stewarded to honor God.
[1] Chad. Brand, Charles (Charles W.) Draper 1947-, and Archie. England, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, Tenn.: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003).
If you are looking for a Bible Reading Plan, check out Finding Joy Throughout the Year!
Joyfully HIS,
Jennifer N. Pearson