Hi
Today’s Holy Nougat invites us to reflect on what we believe and why.
“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.” Romans 4:17 NIV
Our belief in YHWH – GOD, is traced through Abraham (the Father of the Faith); because he believed the Promise. So it’s not that God is not the God of Noah, Methuselah or Eve. Rather, we look to Abraham’s faith which interestingly enough, was manifested when he was simply Abram.
But our belief in God is also, and more importantly, traced to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Resurrected One. In Matthew 1; Jesus’ genealogy is traced back to Abraham (see verses 1-2); and that is important for helping us grasp that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s Promise to Abraham (found in Genesis 17). But when we get to the end of the same gospel; we discover The Risen (ie resurrected) Christ. That is Jesus Christ Who is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Each of us, as well as the Promise to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15). For in His risenness, Jesus crushed the head of the serpent, and for all of us who believe in Jesus, we are specially grafted into Jesus’ family tree as children of God (John 1:12-13).
Ultimately my dears, Faith is credited on the basis of our choice. It’s about our willingness to ‘see’ what is intangible based on a promise from One Whom we’re unable to see. Abraham believed in a promise that is still unfolding at a time when he and his wife shouldn’t practically believe. His faith wavered in part at times; but he managed to remain focused on God.
We believe in a God Whom we cannot see in the literal and on a promise, which 2000 years later has not been fulfilled. Our faith may waver at times; but we must remain focused on God. Like Abraham, we believe God because God’s track record gives us confidence that God Will do Whatever God has promised.
So while some details may seem fuzzy at this time, let us focus on the Prize, God’s promise that Christ will return. How, When – we don’t know. But we do know Who we are, heirs of the Promise, and our hope is sustained despite. In Christ’s love and grace . . .
