This past Tuesday I was reading Romans 4 and came to verse 17 where Paul states that Abraham was our father in the sight of God. God – who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
Romans 4:17 (TNIV) As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
I’ve always looked at this verse as a statement that God gives life to us through Jesus and then the part about "calling into being things that are not" was primarily a statement declaring God as creator. It’s all of this, but it became more for me this day as I read on into the next few verses.
As I read down to verse 19 I realized that when Paul talked about being dead in verse 17 he was referencing Abraham and Sarah. Abraham’s aged body was as good as dead and could not provide the seed necessary for an offspring. Sarah’s womb was also dead because of her age. Yet because of Abraham’s faithfulness to God, God called into being that which was not – that being Isaac!
I have experienced times in my life where I felt completely spent with nothing left to give. Perhaps you’ve had those feelings as well. Where you have moments when you question your significance or your ability to actually make a difference in your own life, the life of your family, or place of work.
These verses refreshed my spirit this week because I know that if I remain faithful to God in what he has given to me regardless of how I feel in the moment, then He will use it to call into being that which is not. . . . No, Kath and I are not planning more children. But I am confident that God is great and it’s in Him that I move and have my life and out of my faithfulness to Him he will call into being that which He needs to accomplish his good plan. I play a part in God’s story of redeeming mankind.
God chooses the foolish things and the weak things of this world (that would be me) to express His greatness to this world. I’ve been found secure in Christ, who is my righteousness, holiness and redemption. So I’m going to boast in my God all the days of my life, especcially in the middle of my weakknesses. (1 Cor 27-31)
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