WATCHWORD:
18 So, when God told Abraham that he would give him a son who would have many descendants and become a great nation, Abraham believed God even though such a promise just couldn’t come to pass! 19 And because his faith was strong, he didn’t worry about the fact that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred, and that Sarah his wife, at ninety, was also much too old to have a baby. 20 But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened. 21 He was completely sure that God was well able to do anything he promised. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith God forgave his sins and declared him “not guilty.” 23 Now this wonderful statement—that he was accepted and approved through his faith—wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. 24 It was for us, too, assuring us that God will accept us in the same way he accepted Abraham—when we believe the promises of God who brought back Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God, filling us with God’s goodness. Romans 4:18-25 The Message
Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or hemming and hawing—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.” Mark 11:22-25 The Message
Meditation:
I Doubt That!
The moon is made of Swiss cheese. The Cubs will win the World Series in 2022. Next spring you will run the Boston Marathon. Your voice has changed and now you have been asked to sing Ava Maria in the Easter Observance at the Vatican. Imagine that! Huh!
Have you ever expressed doubt about something in your life? I mean, something real. Maybe something someone promised you, and because of past experiences with that person, you had reason enough to doubt. Trust is a tough matter, once it is broken, well, then, it is difficult to reestablish. In its wake, broken trust leaves doubt.
Yes, we experience doubt in our lives. Somethings, certainly, deserve our doubts, even our ridicule. But, there are elements in our lives that we hold sacred, where our faith lifts us above doubt. Matters where we must guard against doubt stealing our faith. Where we, because of our belief, must doubt our doubt.
Think about what Abraham experienced. Conceiving with Sarah at their ages? Come on, get real. Fantasy. How could that be? How? God said it, Abraham never doubted, and two things happened: A baby, Isaac, was born, and God forgave Abraham’s sins and declared him “not guilty.” The blessed life.
I am sure there have been times in our lives when our Joy in the Lord has filled our eyes with tears, and swelled our hearts, and maybe the thought occurred to you, “This is too good to be true.” But it was and you knew there was no doubt because God is good.
When the shadow of doubt creeps into the nudges and the leadings of the Holy Spirit, Jesus dispels doubt with his words, “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you.” No doubt, for your faith will assure you and grant you peace. So be it.
Bulletin Board:
Life is good ‘cause God is.
Life is good ‘cause I’m His!
Closing Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to understand that both belief and doubt are verbs and we can have intellectual doubts and intellectual unbelief, but still retain our faith. True belief and faith require us to be a hearer and doer. To truly doubt and disbelieve, we must have both thought and action. Lord, do not let the enemy steal our victory. Praise the Lord and help me to stay in faith by rebutting and replacing the negative thoughts. Lord, I thank you for Mark 9:24, which reinforced that heart-based belief triumphs over intellectual unbelief in spite of our thoughts. Lord, I remain in faith when I move forward in doubt and fear like the disciples. True doubt is taking action on our thoughts. Thank you, Jesus, for breaking through my doors of doubt and unbelief. Jesus was tempted in all ways as we were, with unbelief and doubt. Praise the Lord that you are active and present in our lives, even when we cannot see you, even when we were sinners and rejected you, and even when we didn’t believe him. Lord, when we are tempted with condemnation, help us to rest in your grace. Lord, help me to be patient and understand that faith requires a season to grow, and I know that You are right there to support and encourage me. Amen
