Monday Devotional: June 5, 2023

Bible Reading: Romans 4:18-25 (NRSVUE)

¹⁸ Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²² Therefore “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” ²³ Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was handed over for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

Ever read a really good novel where everything seems to go wrong for the protagonist? Most epic novels and comic books start that way. A great person is down on their luck or faces seemingly insurmountable odds. From Frodo of the Shire to Bruce Wayne and Emma Woodhouse, well-written characters often have resources like family, friends, food, and shelter, but their stories show them discovering their strength by hoping against hope for redemption that seems beyond possibility. This is where we find Abraham in today’s passage.

Paul is reminding us that Abraham had every reason to scoff at the promises of God. His body was old and his wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet he continued to have faith. But Paul goes a step further, telling us that it is not just about Abraham anymore; it is about us, too. Abraham was not called righteous just so we can honor a righteous man who lived thousands of years ago but so that we have a way to understand what faithfulness looks like in relationship with God. For Paul, that relationship is made complete through Christ. We are offered freedom from the urgency of the law by believing in the redemptive power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is faith in him that offers us the position alongside Abraham as a part of the household of God.

What makes you feel weak today? Does your body or your spirit feel as good as dead? What or who is planting a seed of distrust in your gut?

Where might you be able to give glory to God anyway?

Prayer

God of Abraham, infinitely faithful to your word, take away my sense of weakness or distrust. Bring me into a life of promise in you. I offer my praise to your glory today in hopes that I will remember that I, too, am justified in Christ. Amen.

By Andrea Roth Murdock, The Upper Room Disciplines 2023, page 194.