Romans 4:1-12, The Example of Abraham

Friday, May 24, 2019
12:00 AM 11:59 PM 00:00 23:59

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Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today

“For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.”

— Romans 4:3-6

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NL Daily Devotion for Friday, May 24, 2019

by R. Fergus Moir, Clergy Stuff

We all want to get fairly compensated for our work. What about for our faith? Sometimes, when things aren’t going my way, I think “Hey, I’m one of the ‘good ones!’ I deserve thus and so from God!” That’s not how it works, of course. If it were up to me to be “good enough” to earn God’s love, it would never happen.

Abraham had faith in God’s promise to him knowing full well it was not something he could earn. He believed in what sounded like a ridiculous promise: that a 100-year-old man and his 90-year-old barren wife would have descendants so numerous they couldn’t be counted. Not because it made sense or because he thought he deserved it. Just because God said it and he trusted God.

We are called to trust in God’s promises even when they make no sense, even when we don’t see them happening on our timeline, and especially because we know we don’t deserve them.

God, thank you for the example of Abraham. Help me to trust you always. Amen.

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