From Death to Life
Romans 4:13-25 (NIV)
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 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. 18 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.’ 19 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. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’ 23 The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
DEVOTIONAL:
The Bible can be quite blunt – Abraham was “as good as dead” and “Sarah’s womb was also dead.” There is no nice way of saying this. These words paint a picture of impossibility and hopelessness in a world where children represented one’s future, both in this world and the next. There was nothing that Abraham and Sarah could do to change their situation. And so, Paul uses an image of death to describe them. But Abraham was not deterred! God had spoken to Abraham, and he staked everything on that word. He packed up his household, turned his back on the security of the familiar, and journeyed toward the promise – his faith moved him to action. Abraham's faith was not a mere intellectual exercise. It was not a case of mind-over-matter or the power of positive thinking, but being convinced that God was powerful enough to keep an impossible promise. God breathes new life into the lifeless! There is nothing as final as death. Yet this terrifying power is no barrier to God who can restore, revive, and resurrect. God gave new life to Abraham and Sarah's bodies, resulting in the birth of Isaac. God can infuse our shattered existence with renewed vitality and hope. Nothing is beyond God’s power.
God calls into existence things that were not! God’s creative power is rooted in God’s love. Love will find a way to express itself and, in the process, create worlds of life filled with hope, purpose, and endless possibilities. Into Abraham and Sarah’s non-existent future, God speaks life. God’s limitless power and transformative nature beckon us forward into a future of hope. As we step out in faith, we discover what was not, and find life where death once reigned. Nowhere is that demonstrated more clearly than in the life of Jesus Christ who steps into death to bring us life, and whose resurrection is the beginning of a new creation.
PRAYER:
Lord God, amid our limitations and blunt truths, we acknowledge that there are times when our circumstances seem impossible, and doubts threaten to overwhelm us. Today, we surrender our doubts, fears, and impossibilities to you. We trust in your limitless power and transforming love. Breathe new life into our brokenness, revive our hope, and call forth the dreams and possibilities that lie dormant within us. Help us to step out in unwavering faith, knowing that you are the God who brings life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Amen.