Growing Strong Giving Glory to God

Laura and I were going over a discipleship lesson on faith and perseverance, and Abraham was the example. You read, "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God." Interesting that Paul and the Spirit mention this. Abraham and Sarah did waver. They waited long and got lost in the waiting, finally wondering how God would do it. Maybe they misunderstood the "means" by which the promise would be fulfilled. But here is the incredible thing. They never wavered concerning THE PROMISE. They never doubted God's ability or intent to fulfill the promise.

So we have a promise of fruit in the harvest and that the fields are white. Now, we can get lost in waiting and wonder about the means, but we can't give up, because the promise is sure.

Then it says, "but he (Abraham) grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised." How did he grow strong in faith by giving glory to God? What did Abraham give glory to God in? Being fully convinced in God's ability was one thing, but apparently Abraham secretly and publicly (he was surrounded by a small town of servants) drew attention to and gave thanks for all that God did. He didn't miss the constant provision of God's obvious care and He must have encouraged himself and Sarah and everyone else in God's greatness and presence with them. Abraham grew strong seeing and acknowledging all the grace of God in his waiting for the promise.

Being "fully convinced" is easy to say, but the persistence of faith and the honest appreciation for all of God's kindness separates the men from the boys. It is out of the abundance of this love for God and understanding of His presence that the disciple lives patiently waiting for God to fulfill His purpose in our lives and our working for Him. I think of the scene in "The Hiding Place" where Betsy had just had her head dusted with DDT, and then standing next to one of the concentration camp guards remarks on what a beautiful day God had made. God was kind and great and working even in such confusion and tragedy.

Abraham never gave up. He waited 25 years for God to fulfill His promise. Every day as he woke next to Sarah, in his tent, he revisited where he was and why he was there: God's promise. He was, and always would be a foreigner in Canaan. He lived taking care of the daily tasks, knowing that God would soon do something great. And Abraham never gave up and grew strong.

God has promised us fruit in His harvest as disciples. We are ambassadors. The power of God is in the Gospel. So, we should never give up. Someday the Lord will take us out of the battle, but until then we need to work toward and expect fruit in the harvest, and keep on working, growing strong in our faith.

And what if we have to wait a long time? We need to wait well, like Abraham, giving glory to God, seeing His hand in the day-to-day and shining the light of our lives on Him and His grace. 

So who wants to have faith like Abraham?  I don’t think anyone would want to pay that price.  What would the “training” look like to have faith that would move mountains?  But really, we only needed one Abraham, and I’m not interested in mountains, but to have faith to see thousands trust Christ and to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples…. I’d sign up for that course, but I’m already enrolled.

Abraham did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body which was as good as dead, being about 100 years old or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.  No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised.