Trust God?

²⁰ He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; ²¹ And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. ²² And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. ²³ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; ²⁴ But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; ²⁵ Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

-Romans 4:20-25 (KJV)

We continue to read and study about Abraham, some 4000 years after he died, because of his great faith in God. In Romans 4, Paul is teaching that Abraham was made right in God's sight because of his faith. We see, in the life of Abraham, numerous times that he trusted God and took God at His word. 

Verses 20-21 says, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Paul is writing about God's promise to give Abraham his own son, one that would be his heir to his estate. Abraham was strong in his faith in God's promise, knowing that what God promised, God was going to deliver. We need to have faith like that. In our world, we get what we want when we want it. In America, we have the luxury to get whatever we desire at the swipe of a credit card. We've not grown accustomed to trusting God to provide for our needs. Yet He does. And those who trust Him are rewarded. Maybe that is why our faith today is not a strong faith. Instead, it is a faith that wavers and is caught up by any kind of teaching that sounds like what we want to hear. Our faith is not strong today because we don't have a trust in God. Trusting in God is something our ancestors had to do. Now, we can go into Walmart and purchase any kind of food we want. Our ancestors had to hunt and kill what they wanted. We can get in our cars and drive wherever we want in North America. We have the notion that we are self supporting, and we need nothing from anyone. But, God still provides. He still provides for you and me. The problem is that we don't recognize when God provides. Abraham had a strong faith in God, and he trusted God and knew that what God promised, God delivered.

Verse 23 "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Because of his faith in God, his faith was counted as righteousness. Righteousness means that we are without guilt or sin. Because of his faith, Abraham was without guilt or sin. But, it gets even better. Look at verses 23-25, "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Abraham is not only credited with righteousness because of his faith, but you and I are as well. When we put our faith in Him, in God, in Jesus, we become righteous, we become without guilt or shame. That's a promise form God, and God keeps His promises and fulfills His promises. Have you put your faith in Jesus today? Think About It.