January 29 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Romans 4:13-25:

¹³For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
¹⁴For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
¹⁵Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
¹⁶Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
¹⁷(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
¹⁸Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
¹⁹And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
²⁰He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
²¹And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
²²And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
²³Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
²⁴But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
²⁵Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Devotional

What a glorious testimony of the faith of Abraham! God had given Abraham great promises. He was to have a son. A father of many nations would God make him; his seed should be as the stars of heaven in multitude; they were to inherit the land of Canaan, and in his seed (Christ) should all the nations of the earth be blessed. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."

But his faith was severely tested. He had to wait about twenty-five years before the promise, that he should have a son, went into fulfillment. He had nothing but the bare promise to cling to throughout all these years. And he clung to it even when he and his wife Sarah were "past age." "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;" and being fully persuaded, that what He (God) had promised, He was able also to perform. And in due time He did perform it. Isaac was born in a miraculous way. Abraham's faith was not put to shame, but there awaited him a still severer test of faith. When Isaac was grown up to be a lad, God commanded Abraham to offer him up for a burned offering. And Abraham obeyed. He offered up his only begotten son, accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead. Again Abraham's faith was rewarded. He received his son back in a figure. Isaac became a type of Christ, of his death and resurrection. And Abraham gave glory to God.

Prayer

O God, Thou God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Thou keepest covenant and truth. What has gone out of Thy mouth, Thou wilt perform. None of Thy words shall ever fall to the ground. Help us to believe Thy word. Give us an implicit trust in Thy promises. When, in the day of trouble, we can see no way out, may we not despair, but call upon Thee and cling to Thy promise that Thou will deliver us; and may we glorify Thee. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Gal. 3:16; Gen. 22-18; Rom. 4:3; Gen. 15:16; Heb. 11:17,19; Rom. 4:20; Matt. 17:20.

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