O God of amazing grace, bless and protect this dear reader in all they face today; in Christ Jesus, amen.
Our text for today comes from Romans 4: 1 So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things? 2 If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we're given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. 3 What we read in Scripture is, "Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own." 4 If you're a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don't call your wages a gift. 5 But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it's something only God can do, and you trust him to do it - you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked - well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift. (The Message)
I love experiencing again the joys of childhood in my grandchildren. It seems just like yesterday I was holding them newborn and totally dependent on their moms and dads. I saw them learn to crawl and then crawl fast. Their first steps were either witnessed live or through the magic of the Internet. But what I chuckle at is that point where they don't want to be carried any more. Either grunting or saying, "Down!" they make themselves clear about wanting to walk on their own. It's usually in a store where being "down" they can grab and hold things. And this passage is about those days we're just like kids. We think we can do all things on our own. Comparing our situation with Abraham, Paul sets us straight; we must depend on God. Abraham is the Father of Faith because he knew to trust God to lead him to parts unknown. In the same way, we must learn to trust and follow God. I love verse five, "trusting him-t0-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift." So, this journey of faith during Lent is a journey and a gift of trust.
You can still run. But it'll be under God's watchful and loving eye.
PRAYER: Lord, as I journey not only through Lent, but life, many have been the times that I have believed I could do it on my own and I know that is not the case. Help me to trust you to help me in all things. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
