Day 10: When You Have Every Reason Not To Hope

"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.” 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. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God," - Romans 4:18-20

Abraham's faith, as described in Romans 4:13-22, is not described as a "leap into the dark", where he had nothing to cling to and nothing to see. His decision of faith was not irrational either. Abraham's faith was a "leap from the evidence of his senses into the security of God's word and promise" (Moo 283).

You desire to see the Lord work through you. You have already left your home in obedience to Jesus' command to "go and make disciples of all nations" Now when might you see fruit? What about the promises of God?

Abraham left his home in obedience to God's call, and responded to the promise that God gave him - that God would make him the father of many nations. This promise was given to Abraham in Genesis 15 and, at the age of 75, he and his wife (and his nephew Lot) left Harran and set out for the land of Canaan. It wasn't until over 30 years later that we hear the next part of this promise in Genesis 21: "Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."

"He considered his own body, which was as good as dead..."

Abraham took all of the natural improbability of bearing a son in his old age (which was what God was promising him), and laid it aside, letting the divine promise outweigh all other factors (Bruce 112). Morris says it more bluntly, "Abraham and Sarah were as good as dead with respect to procreation when they received the promise of God" (Morris 209). How does Abraham's faith give us hope? "In light of Calvary believers may have confidence that God's purpose will be worked out to the end" (Morris 210).

What to do then when you have every reason not to hope? I don't know what that question triggers in you, but my personal struggle with hope on the mission field is trusting that there will be fruit and that God is indeed working not only in me, but through me. Only God can be the giver of life, as we see in Abraham's story told by Paul. Abraham didn't waiver in faith, even though everything was against him. It was God who provided strength for Abraham (verse 20), not faith itself that provided this strength. "Abraham had nothing going for him except for the promise of God" (Morris 212).

You have nothing going for you overseas except for God's promises. Your visas might be a constant battle. You may struggle to make connections in your local town or village. You may encounter health issues that prevent you from serving the way you intended. Someone may even accuse you, reject you, or judge you (though you know someone who is no stranger to all of those things...yep, Jesus). You may not be seeing fruit.

Although faith wasn't easy for Abraham (he laughed at the promise!), he came to a firm faith in time (Morris 213). Abraham endured, persevered, and eventually, after 25 years, saw the beginning of the fruit of God's promise to him. Faith gives us reason to hope. God strengthens this faith in us and we are led to glorify his name, for it was his work from beginning to end.

Do not despair, nor lose hope. God is faithful to all of his promises and will strengthen you in faith.

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God," - Romans 4:20

Works Cited: 

Moo, Douglas J. Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. Print.

Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1988. Print.