Romans 4:5

Romans 4:5


Learning about Abraham and about definitions and meanings of faith is all well and good but not the real point of the book of Romans. Knowledge of God without a heart of love for Him is incomplete. As I read more of Abraham's story, I'm challenged by his level of faith: inspired to reach for it myself.


The problem with superheroes is that I can't become one myself. They're too powerful, too perfect for me to even hope to imitate them. If I look at Abraham as a superhero then my response is one of admiration. But God doesn't want us to sit back and talk about how well His most famous followers lived out their faith. He wants us to be inspired to imitate them. I need to recognize that I, too, can have Abraham's faith. It will require lots of prayer, a great deal of work (ugh!), and probably put me in some very uncomfortable situations. Do you think that if I were to interview Abraham he would say the rewards he received were worth the prayer, work, and uncomfortable situations he faced? Would he do it all over again? (I'm sure he'd be glad not to repeat it!) I complain about such small discomforts but I know the rewards of an Abraham level of relationship with God would be worth even a life a hundred times worse than my most uncomfortable moments. (Not that I'd seek that out or ask for it if I could achieve that faith through a much easier life!!)