Welcome to day 26 of our 40 day challenge! Today, we are in Romans 4

(You can catch up on our Intro, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25 if you missed them)

Romans 4:13-25

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. ¹⁴ For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, ¹⁵ because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ 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.” ¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” ²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

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Abraham’s relationship with God is pretty remarkable. He walked with God without having a formal way to do so. He knew God, and heard Him speak, and he listened. For us today, we have so many others who believe in Jesus just like we do, who hear Him speak and are nudged and guided, just like we are.  Abraham didn’t have a fellowship of people who worshiped and listened as he did.

God has always wanted a relationship with everyone, and we have stories throughout scripture showing the lengths He will go to, which ultimately end up with the crucifixion. Scripture shows us each generation trying to figure out what kind of God He is, in the midst of their cultural limitations and understanding. We see over and over, God reaching out and people trying and often failing to reach back.

Abraham is our father, and we are now the ones who carry the mandate to show the world what God is like, and it’s in us that all the families of the earth will be blessed by the Lord. We only have to allow His work in our lives. We are His ambassadors, and He wants to pour out blessing after blessing through us.

Just like Abraham, our faith is credited to us as righteousness. One lesson we have from him is to know the Lord so well that we trust that He will always work things out for us. If we know that He is good, we can do what He asks, even if we don’t understand it, and even if we don’t see why or how it can work. Like Abraham, we can know God well enough to trust that He always has our ultimate good and the ultimate good of others in mind. God is working all things for the good, for all of us. Abraham knew God’s promise, and he also knew that God had ways of fulfilling it. He also knew that God cared about his son even more than he did. And he trusted the Lord to work it all out.

May we have the faith of Abraham, credited to us as righteousness. May we know the Lord well enough to trust Him and follow Him in all He says. And may we be the people through whom the Lord can bless the world. 

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

We’ll see you tomorrow for Day 27, in John 7

♥ Samantha