Pit to Peak!

Faith, many believe is an unattainable virtue. They think oldtime saints had super-faith which they can never dream of. So they give up their struggle and wallow in the mud of mediocrity. Paul, speaking about Abraham’s faith zeros in on an incident where Abraham’s faith was at its lowest low. But it is from there that Paul builds up the tower of Abraham’s faith. From the pit to the peak! (Rom 4:18-22). What does this teach us? None of us need to believe the lie of the devil that we cannot attain the faith of our forefathers.

God’s promise to Abraham came as clear as the bright sun in the blue sky. There was no mistaking it. “I will make you a great nation.” But when days became weeks and weeks turned to months and months snowballed into years, the “perhaps,” which all of us have experienced in our faith-life reared its monstrous head. The suggestion came from Sarah to Abraham just like the suggestion that came from Eve to Adam. “Perhaps I shall obtain children by Hagar” said Sarah. Abraham nodded his head, “Perhaps” and heeded the voice of Sarah.

Did Paul conveniently forget about all this while talking about Abraham’s faith? No, he was just telling us that Abraham was no super saint but a man with a nature like us. We would have certified Abraham as a faithless fellow driven by his hormones. But God dug up the mustard seed in him and blew it up. How many nights Abraham wept in secret for trying to help God fulfill His promise, we will never know. But we know how often we bow down our heads in shame when satan brings before us our mental screens, vivid with colour movies of our ‘faith failures.’ Here is encouragement for us. If Abraham became the father of the faithful every one of us need to shout a big hallelujah that we too can attain his faith status. If God found Abraham’s heart faithful before Him surely we are in no way disqualified (Neh 9:8).

Let’s study the seven aspects of Abraham’s faith which will pour water to the mustard seed in us which we think is too insignificant to even be considered as faith.

Hope against all hope.

“Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according towhat was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be’ ”  (Rom 4:18).

For very few of us life is a smooth sail. Most of us face situations where we sit down with our hands on Faith is the steering wheel of the vehicle to chase God. our heads having given up all hope. Luke records one of Paul’s experience, “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (Acts 27:20). They were bobbing up and down in the high seas like a cork. The angel’s promise was on one side and all the negative factors on the other side. Everything pointed to a debacle. But Paul hoped contrary to hope and reassured them all that none of them would be drowned.

What gave hope to Abraham? Nothing. Atleast some years ago he had some strength and Ishmael was the result. Now even that strength was gone. Could he believe God? May be he tried not to look at the hopeless condition but kept telling himself, “I believe, I believe, I believe.” And God honoured it. His focus was not his impotence but God’s potence.

New Testament Christians have a lot to learn from the Old Testament madam who said, “It is well” when her son of promise lay dead (2 Ki 4:26). Have you ever beat upon your forehead and cried, “It’s hopeless. There is no point in trusting God?” Take heart. Everything will be contrary to hope. Let us lift our eyes off the situation and in hope believe.

Don’t be weak in faith.

“Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom 4:19).

What was important to bring about the promised child? His body and Sarah’s body. Both were out. “Dead” says the Bible. That was enough to put anybody off. Not even a cloud the size of a palm. Why was Abraham not weak in faith? Because he did not ‘consider’ the most important factors of procreation. His faith was strong because of whom he believed—God,  who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (v17). Age or viability were not in his ‘must’ list. Only God was a must for him. That answers our question of why he was not weak in faith.

When we consider all the human possibilities, our faith is weak. Incarcerated in a human body, our natural tendency is to count on or consider the most important factors—money, human help, physical strength, qualification, status, trickery and what not. God’s Word is, “Be still and know that I am God.” Abraham failed there. We fail there. It is most difficult to sit quiet and wait for God. We would rather keep ourselves busy trying to help God.

This doesn’t mean we should tempt God by not doing anything about the issue. We should do what we can do, what common sense tells us to do trusting all the while in God and then, “having done all, to stand” (Eph 6:13). That is co-operating with God. Do not consider the negative factors. Keep looking to God.

Do not waver at the promise of God.

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief” (Rom 4:20).

Faith is easy as long as it is not tested. But when trials come the wavering comes too. How fulfilled Sarah and Abraham would have felt with Isaac in their tent! But then God demands his bosom delight. Now what of God’s promise? Would God take Isaac and give another son? Would He resurrect the butchered Isaac? He shut out all the sceptical queries from his mind and stood his ground on the promise of God. Once upon a time he wavered, now no more.

God is God.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested” (Heb 11:17).

 Abraham’s faith was put through fire and it came out alive and kicking. “The testing of your faith produces patience” (Js 1:3). Faith that is not tested cannot be trusted, we say. Very true. “You may be tested.. Be faithful” (Rev 2:10). “All kinds of trials have come so that your faith... may be proved” (1 Pet 1:7).

Cling on to God’s promises when your faith is tested to the limits. Never waver. “... faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways” (Js 1:6-8). The wave comes crashing mightily then goes back as quickly as it came. That’s the faith of wave (wave-ring) Christians. Do not be a wave Christian; be a rock Christian.

Be strengthened in faith.

“He was strengthened in faith” (Rom 4:20).

When we study the life of Abraham we see how doubts, unbelief and fear assailed him. He was afraid he’d be killed and wanted Sarah to pose like his sister (Gen 12:12,13). He thought Eliezer would be his heir (Gen 15:1-3). When God assured him he believed (15:6). Then he asked, “How shall I know that I will inherit it?” (v8). His faith tottered and fell flat at the interesting idea of Sarah (16:1-2). At the age of 99, close to the fulfillment of God’s promise,

God gave a speech starting with multiplying him exceedingly. Abraham fell on his face, may be to hide his tummy jiggling in a belly laugh. God must have thought it was an act of adoration in excitement. God continued His speech of His mighty promises of Abraham becoming the father of nations, becoming exceedingly fruitful, his descendants and kings of

peoples. But all the while Abraham was heartily laughing within himself thinking, “God, are you joking? Can a ninety nine year old body father a child? Can you heal Sarah’s decades of infertility?” But politely he replied, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You” (Ch 17). When the Lord appeared to him and said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” he didn’t promptly answer, “No, nothing Lord.” May be husband and wife had a good time laughing together after their guests left. God had to talk to a pagan king and deliver Sarah when Abraham again called Sarah his sister (20:2-3).

Atlast! The son of promise was born! Now it was easy for Abraham to send away Hagar and his son Ishmael, trusting God. Now he was ready to cut up Isaac and offer him up to God. He was growing in his faith by leaps and bounds and becoming stronger.

Look back at your life. Let each failure encourage you to become stronger in faith. Let each miracle in your life act like a sand-bag when the enemy comes in like a flood. Faith is something that grows every minute like a mushroom. Tend it. Even Paul had fear and God had to say, “Fear not, Paul.” It’s enough. You have been weak in faith long enough. It’s time to grow up. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong” (1 Cor 16:13).

Give glory to God.

“He believed...giving glory to God” (Rom 4:20).

When did Abraham give glory to God? Did he anytime shout, “Praise the Lord! He is going to fulfil His promise?” Abraham was not an exuberant character to dance a jig at God’s promise rather a sober personality. It was tough for Abraham to believe God for a child but that in no way disturbed the solid faith he had on the Redeemer. His quiet and consistent faith could not be shaken by whatever happened in his life. There was the famine, barrenness, loss of Lot’s family, loss of Hagar and Ishmael and loss of Sarah. None of these things shook his faith, which stood like the Rock of Gibraltar. He built an altar to the Lord at Moreh (Gen 12:7).

Another at Bethel (12:8). He called on the name of the Lord (13:4). He built another altar at Hebron (13:18). So to say, he fostered a friendship with God. His focus was not on what God was doing for him or not doing. God was God and that was it. In quietness and confidence was his strength. Baby or no baby, praise the Lord! Miracle or no miracle, praise the Lord! Why go that far? Promise or no promise, praise the Lord! That’s how he glorified God.

That is true faith. It is the faith of Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego who boldly asserted, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us... But if not,... we do not serve your gods” (Dan 3:17,18). It is the faith of Job who confessed, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (13:15). It is the faith of Habakkuk that trumpeted: Though the fig tree may not blossom, and the grapes don’t ripen, though the olive season be a failure and the crop yield poor; though the sheep and cattle dwindle, I will be singing joyful praise to God (3:17).

May be your situation is going from bad to worse.  Don’t worry. Be singing, be praising, be worshipping. Don’t allow the situation to dominate your thinking. That’s only part of your life. Enjoy the rest of your life. Leave the matter in God’s hand and relax. That’s seasoned faith. That’s how you glorify God.

Be fully convinced.

“... being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Rom 4:21).

Some of the missing pieces of the puzzle of Abraham’s faith life can be found scattered in the

New Testament. Let’s try to complete the puzzle. God told Abraham, “In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18). He did not say, “seeds.” This Seed is Christ (Gal 3:16). If we think Abraham understood this truth in his time, we are stretching it too far. Did he know that Hagar symbolised the bondwoman who brought forth the son of flesh and Sarah the freewoman who gave birth to the son of promise? (Gal 4:22-31). Did he realize that when he went up to Mt. Moriah with Isaac that was the shadow of Christ? I don’t suppose so. But the Bible says that the Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham (Gal 3:8). Let’s pick up one more piece from John 8:56 and fit it. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Are you feeling dizzy?

God’s plan was too big for Abraham to comprehend. He did not try to understand the finer details but was absolutely sure that God would do what He said He would do. In him all the nations (the whole world) shall be blessed (Gal 3:8). Abraham died in faith, not seeing the promise fulfilled, but seeing it way off in the distance (Heb 11:13).

God’s plans are far reaching. Our bird-brain cannot fully understand His designs. We simply have to say, “Amen, amen” to His dealings with us and flow with His leading instead of trying to analyse and ask questions. Faith has no eyes, it only has a heart that loves and trusts. You may not see a rainbow in the path you are treading but be fully convinced that the sovereign God does it all for your good.

God’s fulfillment of promises are not in the way we imagine but in the way He plans.

Only believe.

“His faith was accounted to him for righteousness”(Rom 4:22).

Just as papers like drafts and cheques turn into money, when we simply believe, that faith is taken into account by God as our righteousness.

When Abraham doubted, God brought him out and asked him to count the stars and said, “So shall your descendants be” (Gen 15:5). Could Abraham do anything about it? No, he had to simply take God at His word and he did exactly that. And God said, “You are right” (right-eous). “You are right Abraham; you only believe, I’ll do the rest.”

If Abraham had fathered a child at an younger age he had something to boast. But God waited till he could do nothing, till he stopped struggling, till he relaxed, and then gave the baby so Abraham could take no credit whatsoever (Rom 4:2-5). Our God is a nick-of-the-moment God. Scripture abounds with incidents of how God waited till the very last minute to perform the miracle—the Red Sea and the sacrifice of Isaac, to quote a few. Explore the Scriptures as an exercise and your faith will soar high.

When we simply believe and become righteous then our faith works together with our works and by works our faith will be made perfect. Then it will be accounted to us for righteousness (Js 2:21-23).

By faith without works we become righteous and when we become righteous we show our faith by our works. That is perfect faith.

After we come into His presence we march—Left, Right, Left, Right and sing, Onward Christian Soldiers—to do our work.

Have you felt like giving up lately? Well, it’s too early. Hang in there! Rescue is on the way!

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Pit to Peak!

Faith, many believe is an unattainable virtue. They think oldtime saints had super-faith which they can never dream of. So they give up their struggle and wallow in the mud of mediocrity. Paul, speaking about Abraham’s faith zeros in on an incident where Abraham’s faith was at its lowest low. But it is from there that Paul builds up the tower of Abraham’s faith. From the pit to the peak! (Rom 4:18-22). What does this teach us? None of us need to believe the lie of the devil that we cannot attain the faith of our forefathers.

God’s promise to Abraham came as clear as the bright sun in the blue sky. There was no mistaking it. “I will make you a great nation.” But when days became weeks and weeks turned to months and months snowballed into years, the “perhaps,” which all of us have experienced in our faith-life reared its monstrous head. The suggestion came from Sarah to Abraham just like the suggestion that came from Eve to Adam. “Perhaps I shall obtain children by Hagar” said Sarah. Abraham nodded his head, “Perhaps” and heeded the voice of Sarah.

Did Paul conveniently forget about all this while talking about Abraham’s faith? No, he was just telling us that Abraham was no super saint but a man with a nature like us. We would have certified Abraham as a faithless fellow driven by his hormones. But God dug up the mustard seed in him and blew it up. How many nights Abraham wept in secret for trying to help God fulfill His promise, we will never know. But we know how often we bow down our heads in shame when satan brings before us our mental screens, vivid with colour movies of our ‘faith failures.’ Here is encouragement for us. If Abraham became the father of the faithful every one of us need to shout a big hallelujah that we too can attain his faith status. If God found Abraham’s heart faithful before Him surely we are in no way disqualified (Neh 9:8).

Let’s study the seven aspects of Abraham’s faith which will pour water to the mustard seed in us which we think is too insignificant to even be considered as faith.

Hope against all hope.

“Who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according towhat was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be’ ”  (Rom 4:18).

For very few of us life is a smooth sail. Most of us face situations where we sit down with our hands on Faith is the steering wheel of the vehicle to chase God. our heads having given up all hope. Luke records one of Paul’s experience, “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (Acts 27:20). They were bobbing up and down in the high seas like a cork. The angel’s promise was on one side and all the negative factors on the other side. Everything pointed to a debacle. But Paul hoped contrary to hope and reassured them all that none of them would be drowned.

What gave hope to Abraham? Nothing. Atleast some years ago he had some strength and Ishmael was the result. Now even that strength was gone. Could he believe God? May be he tried not to look at the hopeless condition but kept telling himself, “I believe, I believe, I believe.” And God honoured it. His focus was not his impotence but God’s potence.

New Testament Christians have a lot to learn from the Old Testament madam who said, “It is well” when her son of promise lay dead (2 Ki 4:26). Have you ever beat upon your forehead and cried, “It’s hopeless. There is no point in trusting God?” Take heart. Everything will be contrary to hope. Let us lift our eyes off the situation and in hope believe.

Don’t be weak in faith.

“Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom 4:19).

What was important to bring about the promised child? His body and Sarah’s body. Both were out. “Dead” says the Bible. That was enough to put anybody off. Not even a cloud the size of a palm. Why was Abraham not weak in faith? Because he did not ‘consider’ the most important factors of procreation. His faith was strong because of whom he believed—God,  who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (v17). Age or viability were not in his ‘must’ list. Only God was a must for him. That answers our question of why he was not weak in faith.

When we consider all the human possibilities, our faith is weak. Incarcerated in a human body, our natural tendency is to count on or consider the most important factors—money, human help, physical strength, qualification, status, trickery and what not. God’s Word is, “Be still and know that I am God.” Abraham failed there. We fail there. It is most difficult to sit quiet and wait for God. We would rather keep ourselves busy trying to help God.

This doesn’t mean we should tempt God by not doing anything about the issue. We should do what we can do, what common sense tells us to do trusting all the while in God and then, “having done all, to stand” (Eph 6:13). That is co-operating with God. Do not consider the negative factors. Keep looking to God.

Do not waver at the promise of God.

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief” (Rom 4:20).

Faith is easy as long as it is not tested. But when trials come the wavering comes too. How fulfilled Sarah and Abraham would have felt with Isaac in their tent! But then God demands his bosom delight. Now what of God’s promise? Would God take Isaac and give another son? Would He resurrect the butchered Isaac? He shut out all the sceptical queries from his mind and stood his ground on the promise of God. Once upon a time he wavered, now no more.

God is God.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested” (Heb 11:17).

 Abraham’s faith was put through fire and it came out alive and kicking. “The testing of your faith produces patience” (Js 1:3). Faith that is not tested cannot be trusted, we say. Very true. “You may be tested.. Be faithful” (Rev 2:10). “All kinds of trials have come so that your faith... may be proved” (1 Pet 1:7).

Cling on to God’s promises when your faith is tested to the limits. Never waver. “... faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways” (Js 1:6-8). The wave comes crashing mightily then goes back as quickly as it came. That’s the faith of wave (wave-ring) Christians. Do not be a wave Christian; be a rock Christian.

Be strengthened in faith.

“He was strengthened in faith” (Rom 4:20).

When we study the life of Abraham we see how doubts, unbelief and fear assailed him. He was afraid he’d be killed and wanted Sarah to pose like his sister (Gen 12:12,13). He thought Eliezer would be his heir (Gen 15:1-3). When God assured him he believed (15:6). Then he asked, “How shall I know that I will inherit it?” (v8). His faith tottered and fell flat at the interesting idea of Sarah (16:1-2). At the age of 99, close to the fulfillment of God’s promise,

God gave a speech starting with multiplying him exceedingly. Abraham fell on his face, may be to hide his tummy jiggling in a belly laugh. God must have thought it was an act of adoration in excitement. God continued His speech of His mighty promises of Abraham becoming the father of nations, becoming exceedingly fruitful, his descendants and kings of

peoples. But all the while Abraham was heartily laughing within himself thinking, “God, are you joking? Can a ninety nine year old body father a child? Can you heal Sarah’s decades of infertility?” But politely he replied, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You” (Ch 17). When the Lord appeared to him and said, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” he didn’t promptly answer, “No, nothing Lord.” May be husband and wife had a good time laughing together after their guests left. God had to talk to a pagan king and deliver Sarah when Abraham again called Sarah his sister (20:2-3).

Atlast! The son of promise was born! Now it was easy for Abraham to send away Hagar and his son Ishmael, trusting God. Now he was ready to cut up Isaac and offer him up to God. He was growing in his faith by leaps and bounds and becoming stronger.

Look back at your life. Let each failure encourage you to become stronger in faith. Let each miracle in your life act like a sand-bag when the enemy comes in like a flood. Faith is something that grows every minute like a mushroom. Tend it. Even Paul had fear and God had to say, “Fear not, Paul.” It’s enough. You have been weak in faith long enough. It’s time to grow up. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong” (1 Cor 16:13).

Give glory to God.

“He believed...giving glory to God” (Rom 4:20).

When did Abraham give glory to God? Did he anytime shout, “Praise the Lord! He is going to fulfil His promise?” Abraham was not an exuberant character to dance a jig at God’s promise rather a sober personality. It was tough for Abraham to believe God for a child but that in no way disturbed the solid faith he had on the Redeemer. His quiet and consistent faith could not be shaken by whatever happened in his life. There was the famine, barrenness, loss of Lot’s family, loss of Hagar and Ishmael and loss of Sarah. None of these things shook his faith, which stood like the Rock of Gibraltar. He built an altar to the Lord at Moreh (Gen 12:7).

Another at Bethel (12:8). He called on the name of the Lord (13:4). He built another altar at Hebron (13:18). So to say, he fostered a friendship with God. His focus was not on what God was doing for him or not doing. God was God and that was it. In quietness and confidence was his strength. Baby or no baby, praise the Lord! Miracle or no miracle, praise the Lord! Why go that far? Promise or no promise, praise the Lord! That’s how he glorified God.

That is true faith. It is the faith of Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego who boldly asserted, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us... But if not,... we do not serve your gods” (Dan 3:17,18). It is the faith of Job who confessed, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (13:15). It is the faith of Habakkuk that trumpeted: Though the fig tree may not blossom, and the grapes don’t ripen, though the olive season be a failure and the crop yield poor; though the sheep and cattle dwindle, I will be singing joyful praise to God (3:17).

May be your situation is going from bad to worse.  Don’t worry. Be singing, be praising, be worshipping. Don’t allow the situation to dominate your thinking. That’s only part of your life. Enjoy the rest of your life. Leave the matter in God’s hand and relax. That’s seasoned faith. That’s how you glorify God.

Be fully convinced.

“... being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Rom 4:21).

Some of the missing pieces of the puzzle of Abraham’s faith life can be found scattered in the

New Testament. Let’s try to complete the puzzle. God told Abraham, “In your Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18). He did not say, “seeds.” This Seed is Christ (Gal 3:16). If we think Abraham understood this truth in his time, we are stretching it too far. Did he know that Hagar symbolised the bondwoman who brought forth the son of flesh and Sarah the freewoman who gave birth to the son of promise? (Gal 4:22-31). Did he realize that when he went up to Mt. Moriah with Isaac that was the shadow of Christ? I don’t suppose so. But the Bible says that the Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham (Gal 3:8). Let’s pick up one more piece from John 8:56 and fit it. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Are you feeling dizzy?

God’s plan was too big for Abraham to comprehend. He did not try to understand the finer details but was absolutely sure that God would do what He said He would do. In him all the nations (the whole world) shall be blessed (Gal 3:8). Abraham died in faith, not seeing the promise fulfilled, but seeing it way off in the distance (Heb 11:13).

God’s plans are far reaching. Our bird-brain cannot fully understand His designs. We simply have to say, “Amen, amen” to His dealings with us and flow with His leading instead of trying to analyse and ask questions. Faith has no eyes, it only has a heart that loves and trusts. You may not see a rainbow in the path you are treading but be fully convinced that the sovereign God does it all for your good.

God’s fulfillment of promises are not in the way we imagine but in the way He plans.

Only believe.

“His faith was accounted to him for righteousness”(Rom 4:22).

Just as papers like drafts and cheques turn into money, when we simply believe, that faith is taken into account by God as our righteousness.

When Abraham doubted, God brought him out and asked him to count the stars and said, “So shall your descendants be” (Gen 15:5). Could Abraham do anything about it? No, he had to simply take God at His word and he did exactly that. And God said, “You are right” (right-eous). “You are right Abraham; you only believe, I’ll do the rest.”

If Abraham had fathered a child at an younger age he had something to boast. But God waited till he could do nothing, till he stopped struggling, till he relaxed, and then gave the baby so Abraham could take no credit whatsoever (Rom 4:2-5). Our God is a nick-of-the-moment God. Scripture abounds with incidents of how God waited till the very last minute to perform the miracle—the Red Sea and the sacrifice of Isaac, to quote a few. Explore the Scriptures as an exercise and your faith will soar high.

When we simply believe and become righteous then our faith works together with our works and by works our faith will be made perfect. Then it will be accounted to us for righteousness (Js 2:21-23).

By faith without works we become righteous and when we become righteous we show our faith by our works. That is perfect faith.

After we come into His presence we march—Left, Right, Left, Right and sing, Onward Christian Soldiers—to do our work.

Have you felt like giving up lately? Well, it’s too early. Hang in there! Rescue is on the way!

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