'Abraham believed God …'

By Jon Walker

Fellowship — Recently, I've been thinking that my life verse should be Mark 9:24: "… I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

I do believe, yet I have so much unbelief in my life. I walk in faith, yet I have so little faith. I follow God, yet I repeatedly find myself stumbling on a path of my own choosing.

 Paul teaches this is a common disorder among Christians, but he also says the cure for our unbelief is, quite simply, just to believe God.

 In the midst of our complex negotiations with God on the subject of belief, Paul sums up the issue with one simple phrase: "Abraham believed God …." (Romans 4:3)

 Abraham believed God to be a loving Father; Abraham believed God wanted fellowship with him; Abraham believed God would speak with him; Abraham believed God would listen to him; Abraham believed God wanted to use him in a great mission; Abraham believed God knew more than he did when the childless patriarch was called to birth a great nation; Abraham believed God was telling him to go, even if it was to a land he did not know; Abraham believed God would guide and provide step by step. Abraham "went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

 Abraham acted on his belief because he was in intimate fellowship with the Father, and this up close and personal relationship showed Abraham that God could be trusted to do the things he said he would do and to fulfill the commitments he promised to complete.

 Abraham believed God. Paul believed God.

 I believe, God; help me overcome my unbelief.

 I believe; help me to live like I believe. I believe; help me to make decisions like I believe. I believe, Lord, you are trustworthy; help me to abandon my mythology that says I am more trustworthy than you.

 "Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led," writes the great saint Oswald Chambers. "But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason – a life of knowing him who calls us to go."

 What does this mean to me?

• 'Help my unbelief' – You cannot work yourself up to greater belief; rather, your belief will deepen as you deepen your fellowship with God. Tell him, "I believe; help me overcome my unbelief."

• Believe God, not yourself – As you face decisions today, ask yourself: "Is this decision based on my belief in God, or my belief in myself?"

• Move from 'if' to 'of course' – God's desire is that you to move from 'if God can do this' to 'of course, God will do this.' He doesn't expect perfection from you. Even Abraham failed to believe God at points along his journey.

• Listen to Jesus – “… 'If you can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

• Keep confessing – 'Abraham believed God; (Your name) believes God.'