He Staggered Not at the Promise of God – Romans 4
“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” — Romans 4:20
God describes the faith of Abraham in glowing terms in Romans 4. He ‘against hope believed in hope’. He ‘staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief’. He was ‘strong in faith, giving glory to God’. He was ‘fully persuaded’.
Yet, when we compare the account of Abraham in Genesis, we find a man who believed, yet also made many mistaking. He moved to Egypt during a famine, lied about his wife, tried to make his servant his heir, had a child with Hagar, and then allowed Sarah to drive her away.
This does not mean that Romans is wrong, but it does mean that when God looks for faith, he is looking for even the smallest of faith (like a mustard seed). He is not expecting lots of faith or unblemished faith; He just wants faith.
And when we trust Him, from His perspective, He overlooks our faults and failures and sees the righteousness of Christ in us. So, as weak as we may feel, as a faltering as we may be, let us trust the Lord. Let us believe Him and know that He is so pleased when we believe on Him.