No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
When someone makes a promise to us without any tangible collateral or physical guarantee for performance, we have only the person’s words to rely on. The trustworthiness of those words really depends on the character of the promisor.
Imagine what Abraham must have been facing when God promised Him an heir from his body at an advance old age, both for him and his wife Sarah! There is this God who has blessed him in so many ways, who has given him so much wealth, favour with man, faithful servants, etc. In the midst of all the evidence of the faithfulness of this God, there is still this one promise which eluded Abraham and Sarah’s lives – a son born to Sarah and Abraham. This one promise is of quite a different nature. It has to do with defying nature. They even tried to give God a helping hand, by engaging Hagar to be a mother to Abraham’s offspring. But that won’t do, because it was not God’s way, it was not what God has promised. It was not how God would do it.
At times in our lives, we are so blessed in so many ways. Yet, the one promise of God that has eluded us thus far is of quite a different nature. For instance, we may be so blessed with wonderful family, supportive friends, and excellent health, but the one promise of God we are longing to see fulfilled is a financial one – this one is of quite a different nature.
Or the opposite is true. We may be so blessed financially, with excellent health but we long for restoration of family ties. You see, when God has shown Himself faithful in a particular way, it is easy for us to trust Him for promises of the same “genre”. But can He do the other genre of promises?
It is time like this that we have the opportunity to know the other side of our Faithful God.
It is time like this that faith is called for, to trust beyond the words of God and trust in the God who utters those words. He is both promise-keeping and has the power to fulfil what He has promised.
Are you trusting God to do a new thing in your life? Are you waiting for God to fulfil His promise of something quite different from the kind of blessings you are familiar with?
Be convinced that He is able and willing to fulfil His words. Grow strong in your faith so that God’s glory might be seen in your life, as Abraham did.