Bible Reading Plan | Devotion for the week of October 3, 2021

WEEKLY READING: GENESIS 11-15; PSALM 53-54 PASSAGES REFERENCED: GENESIS 15:6; ROMANS 4; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:24

One of the great blessings of being part of a church body is reading through the Bible together. And what makes this a blessing is that during our Bible Reading Plan, we will come across many, if not all, of the greatest verses in the Bible at one point or another. This week is no exception. Genesis 15 contains one of those great verses: “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

This Old Testament verse is quoted in Psalms and by the authors of the New Testament (see James 2:23, Galatians 3:6, and Romans 4). And rightly so because this verse teaches us the most important truths about salvation: it all rests on God’s promises and not on our performance. When we begin to understand what it means to be counted as or credited as righteous, we can rest in knowing that our sins have been forgiven, we are made right with God through faith, and we have a home in heaven.

In Romans 4, Paul reminds us that Abraham believed God and was made right before God because of his faith. Paul says that when Abram heard God say, “Look up at the sky and count the stars… So shall your offspring be,” that he looked up into the stars and saw their vastness and their multitude and “rested” his faith on the power and promises of God.

Earlier this month, during our time with Pastor Roger & Karen Reyes on vacation from Honduras, we were reminded what it means to rest in God’s faithfulness. In our time sitting on the back porch, we encouraged one another that God is faithful in what He promised when we rest in His Word (1 Thessalonians 5:24). In other words, we can rest in knowing that when we step out in faith, we will see God’s amazing faithfulness more and more.

I know it is easy to focus on the great men and women of faith in scripture. To admire the awesomeness of their great faith and how these men and women of old were bold when the odds were stacked against them. If I am honest, I too often catch myself saying, “if I only had faith like that, I could do all the things God has called me to do!” only to compare my moments of weak faith with theirs.

Just this past week, I found myself next to my son’s hospital bed, questioning my faith in God’s provision, His power, and His promises. I asked myself if my faith was too weak or my walk too inadequate for God to move. Was I trying to rely on my works and not on the One who works all things for good? Between constant alertness and closing my eyes as I sat next to my son’s bed, I was reminded of a devotional I read on Romans 4. While it is true that when God saw Abram’s faith, He credited it to him as righteousness. But what is more true is that when Abram saw God, he recognized Him as able to fulfill what He had promised. So he was able to rest his faith in God’s power and promises.

So, what was it that made Abram be able to rest in faith? His eye was not set on the problems but upon the Promiser. Pastor Ray Stedman describes this well: “When Abram saw the greatness of God, the might and majesty displayed before him on that summer’s night, he said to himself, it makes no difference how I feel or what difficulties may be involved. The Creator of that multitude of stars is quite capable of giving me an equal number of descendants.”

So again, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” The same way Abram believed God about the promise of a coming son and was counted as righteous; we can stop relying on our own works and rest in helpless dependence on God’s living Son and be counted righteous by faith.

So next time you find yourself questioning if your faith is great enough, remember that it makes no difference how you feel or what difficulties lie ahead. The Creator of that multitude of stars is more than able to make good on His promises. – Sam Pena

Take some time this week to reflect and pray using this guide to get started:

God and Creator of the heavenly hosts, teach me to place my faith in You and not in my inadequate strength. Help me put my sight not on the problem that lays before me, but in the Promiser that holds me in His hand. Remind me to rest in Your promise that the One who calls me is faithful.

And then listen to the song Promises by Maverick City Music. As you listen, pay attention to the lyrics and let God’s truth wash over you.

“Faithful through the ages

God of Abraham

You’re the God of covenant and faithful promises

Time and time again

You have proven

You’ll do just what You said”

Do you have questions about this week’s Bible reading? We’d love to help! Rather than relying on the first thing you find on the internet, email us at biblequestions@warsaw.cc. We are more than happy to answer that nagging question you have, provide you with some clarity, or point you in the right direction for further study.