Much has been written and spoken about Abraham, the Old Testament patriarch—and far more than can be covered with a single blog post.
Abraham is not only important to the Christian faith, but also to Muslims because he was the father of Ismael, who as mentioned in Genesis 16:12 below, was against everyone.
This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.
Interesting verse, isn’t it? But let’s get back to Abraham because he did something in his life that caused God to award him with status that I know all of us would give anything to have. God saw something very different in Abraham that gave Him confidence to know that He could begin the Jewish nation.
Abraham was clearly very special in God’s eyes and that has always struck me…what made him different? What did he do that would cause the Creator to think in his mind, “that is my guy”? “He is the one I am going to work with”.
When you read about Abraham you can tell right away that he is a man of action. He was a complete doer when the situation called for it. He wrestled with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He rescued his nephew Lot and his family when they were captured.
But what I found most intriguing about Abraham was that his “believing,” not his “doing,” is what moved God. This is the central verse of this post is exactly why I wrote it.
Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:12
Think about that verse for a moment…for the very first time in the Bible, we see faith and righteousness mentioned together. Why is this important? Because of this statement:
By Abraham simply believing in God, God gave him a right standing or a “different” standing with Him.
God performed a transaction: Abraham’s belief = right standing with God
Abraham’s heart was turned toward God in an enduring trust, obedience, and submissive relationship. Because of that rock-solid belief, that changed his status with the Creator of this universe.
Abraham didn’t conquer the greatest army in the world or climb the highest mountain. All he did was believe, and that belief caused his position with God…to be BETTER.
In nearly every post I’ve shared on IronManStrength, I’ve highlighted the challenges of navigating this world as a Christian man. This isn’t meant to discourage you, but rather to inspire you as we are on this incredible journey together.
What’s truly encouraging about Abraham’s story is his unwavering belief, even when faced with what his physical eyes told him was impossible. Imagine: God promised him offspring as numerous as the stars, starting with his own son. And yet, Abraham was over 100, and his wife a ripe 95, when God made this statement and yet he still believed.
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then the Lord said to him, “So shall your offspring be. Genesis 15: 4-5
Guys, hear me out for a second…how does this really apply to you and me? How does the story of some old guy who lived over 2,000 years ago make a difference to any of us right now?
- Abraham had problems – we have problems
- Abraham had struggles – we have struggles
- Abraham had family issues – all of us have family issues
- God spoke to Abraham – God can speak to us
The HUGE difference:
ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD
It all boils down to genuine belief, not just lip service—a true conviction inside of you that God is capable of fulfilling His promises.
When you believe God in your core that He can be trusted…your relationship with Him changes. When you are obedient and submissive toward God and not allow that arrogance inside all of us to show through…things will change.
I encourage you to take your own belief to the next level by trusting God.
Establish a “right standing” with Him…Do you Believe?
Until next time guys…
