Lord of all journeys, travel with this dear reader today; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Happy Leap Year Day or whatever this "extra" day is! Happy Birthday for those blessed with this as their birthday!
From the Letter to the Romans, fourth chapter: 13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (New Revised Standard Version)
It has become a universal joke because of its reality; you order new cable service and in the old days when you ordered telephone service, the "promise" was, "We'll have a service person out there between 8 and 5." And that was not the best way to plan a day. If you were lucky, the service person came at 8 a.m., the work was done, and you could go about your day. Usually, it was after 5 when you would get a call and the voice would say that they would re-schedule for another time as soon as possible. Or, if you had to leave your house for an errand when you return the door hanger announces that the service person came by and will call again to reschedule. Not so with God. God promises, God delivers.
Paul is recounting the story of the man who is considered the Father of the Faith, Abraham. When he visited by God and is promised things that an old man shouldn't be promised, Abraham believed, and God delivered. The gift of faith is a gift of hope and peace. If you have that sort of faith live a life that reflects the hope and peace that only God can give. After all, God promises, God delivers!
PRAYER: Loving God of hope and peace and fulfilled promises, I and the person who is praying this as their own, ask that we might truly life that life that invites others to come to know You and your promises of hope and peace. May it be that when facing something that seems impossible that I can remember that when You promise, Your deliver. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
