Against All Hope, We Have 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 in unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He promised.”

 – Romans 4:18-21

            God will do what He has promised. Against all odds we have two words we can always say, “But God.”  Nothing is impossible with Him, instead all things are possible through Him.

            When I read these verses in my morning devotional time, it was verse eighteen that really stood out to me.  It says, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed…”  There was no hope, I do not know one person who would say “Yea Abraham! No worries, you can totally have a child!” No.  It goes against everything logical, it is physically “impossible.”  If a couple came to the church and asked for prayer, because they wanted a child, but they were in their nineties, people would probably, very nicely, explain to them how this is never going to happen.

            Yet, even though there was no hope, it says that Abraham did not waver in unbelief, his faith was not shaken.  Instead, his faith was strengthened and he was fully convinced that God would do what He had promised.  There was no doubt in his mind, he put all his hope in God, not in what man said was logical or possible. Wow.  Whenever I read about Abraham I am so encouraged by his amazing faith in the One he followed.  God said go, Abraham went.  God said multiply, Abraham believed.  God said sacrifice, Abraham obeyed. 

            God kept His promise to Abraham and Abraham had one son.  Then God told him to offer his only son as a sacrifice, Abraham took the steps of obedience until God held back his hand.  His only son, the only way that Abraham could become the father of a great nation (as God had promised), and we see Abraham willing to even give that up for God.  All of Abrahams hope was in the Lord.  Even when there was no hope, Abrahams faith was strengthened, he gave all the glory to God, because he knew that it is only through God’s power that anything righteous can be possible.

Abraham knew that he was close to death, he was not naive to the facts of life, but he was also not naive of the awesome power of God.  Abraham knew how big his God is, I pray that I too will grow and have the faith of Abraham.  We cannot focus on our ability, surroundings or knowledge, because we will only become discouraged by what this world has to offer.  Instead we need to be like Abraham, even when there is no hope, we will hope.  Because we know the One who holds all things together, we know the author and finisher of time.