Meditations Upon Faith - Romans 4;16-24 - Part Three

 

Meditations Upon Faith – Romans 4:16-24 - Part Three

 

Do you have any “miracles” that you seek from God? Is there someone whom you love wholeheartedly facing a major health challenge? Does it appear that nothing short of a miracle could make any difference? Are you willing to believe that God can perform this miracle? Would you humbly ask God to do so primarily to honor and glorify Himself? Would you ask God to restore your loved one’s health to enable that person to serve God through serving humankind? Like Abraham, are you willing to meditate steadfastly upon God’s unquestioned faithfulness, infinitely loyal love and limitless grace? Are you willing to emulate Abraham’s example by relying immovably upon God’s sovereign will and prerogatives? I do not ask these questions in an academic and theoretical vacuum. On the night of his daughter’s fifth birthday, a clergy colleague and longstanding friend had a debilitating and life-threatening stroke. Upon learning of this most unfortunate incident, I rushed and visited him in the hospital. As I entered his room, I saw a tube extending out of his head. His physicians and medical staff decided to drain any excess blood and fluid from his brain. Silently, I prepared myself for the worst-case scenario by making a mental note to take my black suit to the local dry cleaners. I was certain that he would not survive that monumental assault on his health and well-being. Five years later, he and I speak weekly on  the phone about shop talk, the state of the Church in the United States, the decline of the professional clergy and general issues of public discourse. Yes, God’s providential will yielded a miracle. However, his family, classmates, extended circle of friends, clergy colleagues and fellow Christian disciples held a video weekly prayer meeting on Sunday afternoons for almost a year following the stroke. I attended each one. During those times of intercession, we recalled God’s faithfulness  and covenant promises to the faithful. We prayed the scriptures as we asked Almighty God to fulfill His Word in our lives. We asked Him to be gracious toward my colleague and friend. As God is not “a respecter of persons,” He is willing to perform a similar miracle in your life.

 

In the twentieth verse, Paul emphasizes that Abraham did not “waver in unbelief regarding the promise of God.” A scholar prefers stagger instead of wavering. Another biblical linguist uses the verb, divide. These alternative translations conjure the image of falling amid a drunken stupor of doubt and disbelief. Also, standing nervously and being of a definitively split mind; and crossing sweaty fingers with a childlike hope that something favorable will happen. Consider the mental and verbal fluctuation that occurs in drunkenness. Ideas, concepts and beliefs sway like a pendulum between affirmation and opposition. Your values change from minute to minute. Should you grasp any momentary clarity, you lose it immediately to a contrary notion. This shifting sand is borne of drinking theoretical and theological cocktails made of doubt, cynicism, despair, fear, negativity and other toxic ideas. These emotions corrode genuine belief in God’s faithfulness, grace and ability. Abraham rebuffs this perfectly normal and human tendency. He does not digress to being a frightened child who pulls the covers over his head to hide from an imaginary monster in the bedroom closet. He does not bury his head in the sandstorm of scientific impossibility. In stark contrast, Abraham resolutely and irrevocably puts his faith in Almighty God whose adherence to their covenant compels Abraham’s faith and trust. Simply stated, Abraham unswervingly trusts God.

 

The latter half of the twentieth verse describes Abraham as being “strengthened in the faith and [giving] glory to God.” An immediate question arises. Given the circumstances, how does Abraham grow in faith and praise God? The Greek verb, dunamai, indicates an intrinsic ability or authority to accomplish a task. English translations in some instances yield the word, dynamite which is an incredible type of power. As Abraham rightly relates to God over decades of His life, he develops an intrinsic ability to genuinely rely upon God’s Word. Rather than being a debilitating and destructive challenge that could potentially destroy Abraham’s faith, God’s promise of a natural heir ironically strengthens his faith. Abraham rehearses countless acts of God’s previous faithfulness. He stands amazed as he recalls Lot’s rescue, his intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah, his blessings in an arid and infertile land, the incalculable blessings of livestock and other material possessions and God’s favor as Abraham encounters other kings and rulers who threaten him and their covenant. These reflections resemble the monetary concept of compounded interest. As Abraham experiences God’s grace, blessings and provision in each instance, Abraham’s faith increases. Each incident is a greater feat that surpasses the previous one. From year to year, Abraham grows stronger in his belief in God’s intrinsic ability to fulfill His Word.

 

As these experiences fortify his faith, Abraham praises God for His inherent attributes. Possibly, Abraham proclaims God as the “Maker of heaven and Earth, Creator of the universe, the One, True, living and everlasting God, the Most holy, righteous and gracious God who keeps His Word on all occasions.” To give glory to God, disciples proclaim His infinite essence and being. They exalt His Name. They declare His goodness. They admire His grace and provision. With thanksgiving and praise, they recite God’s countless deeds of kindness. Abraham experiences personally what Israel will encounter as a nation. Living more than four centuries before the written Hebrew Bible emerges, Abraham relationally trust God’s Word. Abraham gives glory to God because Abraham unequivocally knows that God will fulfill any promise that Almighty God articulates.