| Romans 4:18-20 "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God..." True faith is not blind and it's not wishful thinking, but it's to realize our own incompetence. Abraham knew that he had no hope for having children because he was almost a hundred years ago and he regarded himself as dead and his wife Sarah was also beyond the normal childbearing age. From human perspective, there's no way that he would have children, but through his faith Abraham not only saw his own incompetence, but also the promise of God. The promise was made 25 years ago when he was 75 years ago, and after such a long time it seemed like God's promise was never going to materialize. It takes patience to wait upon God. Abraham tried his own way and he had Ishmael with Sarah's servant Hagar. God, however, told him that Ishmael was not the one he had promised, and the son who's the real heir to promise must be born by Sarah. Year after year, as Sarah became older, how could the promise of God come true? Don't we often have similar doubt towards the promises of God? Nevertheless, verse 20 says that "he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith..." Doubt is the biggest killer of our faith, for Eve stumbled and fell because of doubt. When Eve saw all those fruits under the tree of good and evil, devil came to tempt her to see whether God was really telling the truth. God did speak His word and made His promise to them, but the devil placed doubt inside Eve to think that perhaps God didn't give her the best. Abraham had such great faith because he did not succumb to doubt; his biggest success was how he believed, without any doubt, that God's promise will come true. Are you still waiting for God? Even though God's timing and ways often make us anxious and even disappointed inside, God's promises are firmly set in heave and they will eventually come true. We just need to wait and look upon Him by firm faith. 
Pray with Pastor Tong Liu Lord, we thank you because when Abraham felt hopeless, he could still hold on to your promise by faith. Please give us more faith, let our eyes not only see our own incompetence, but also to see how true you are, so that the faith in our hearts will be affirmed. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! |
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