Ezekiel 36:13-28 - It seems kind of mean that God says he will save Israel because of His reputation and not for their sake. Doesn't God save them because they're His people, or because they cried out for help, or because they've turned from their wickedness? No, God saves them because His name is Holy, because the nations must know that He is God, because of who God is. What seems to be unkind is in fact the Gospel. God saves Israel and you and I not because of who we are, but because of who He is.
Romans 4:1-25 - Paul paints a pretty rosy picture of Abraham at the end of this section. "No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God." Is Paul just conveniently forgetting that Abraham almost gave Sarah away twice for fear for his life, or that Sarah gave him Hagar because they thought it was too late for Sarah to bear a child? How can Paul say that Abraham didn't waver? Perhaps because faith is not simply a work that replaces circumcision. If faith were a work of Abraham's then he most certainly wavered. But if faith is the promise of God that Abraham took hold of, and that promise was fulfilled, then Abraham's faith certainly did win out. What struggles are you facing right now, and how is God calling you to take hold of His promises?
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