Topic: If God Said It, He’ll Do It – Daily Devotional by Proverbs 31 Ministries 2 March 2021

If God Said It, He’ll Do It

“But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened.” Romans 4:20 (TLB)

I was heading to the kitchen for my pre-dawn cup of coffee when his words cut though my half-awake haze: “Hi, Mommy! Thanks for taking me to the park today.”

As rain pattered on the roof and thunder rumbled low somewhere in the distance, I questioned if I’d heard his words correctly.

Two feet shy of the coffee pot, I turned to face him. The first streaks of sunrise had yet to paint the sky, but my preschooler was sitting at the front door with his little blue backpack and an expectant smile.

I stared in groggy bewilderment as he unzipped the backpack and pulled out a box of crackers and a couple of juice boxes. “I’m all ready to go,” he announced. “I’ve even packed our snacks.”

It was then I remembered the conversation we’d shared the night before. My son hadn’t been ready to trade the fun of play for the necessity of sleep. “My feet aren’t even tired!” he’d complained as he’d jiggled his legs beneath the blankets. “And my hands still want to play baseball with Daddy!” He’d wiggled his fingers in the air and punctuated his declaration with an exasperated sigh.

Planting a kiss on his head, I’d murmured a gentle promise to help him surrender to sleep: “Get some rest now. Tomorrow, I’m taking you to the park.”

My son’s legs had slowed. His fingers had stilled. And soon the din of his moonlight grievances was swallowed by the sound of subtle snoring.

In the light of my bedtime pledge, my little boy’s greeting suddenly made sense. My son had simply taken me at my word. The sight of darkness beyond the window hadn’t discouraged him. The sound of the raindrops on the roof hadn’t dissuaded him.

He hadn’t checked the forecast or consulted the clock. He hadn’t asked for an agenda or probed my intentions. He’d simply aligned his plans with my promise.

As I stood there in the kitchen, I felt a somber pang of conviction. For years, I’d been asking God to grow me into a woman of faith. I didn’t want to merely trust the Lord for my salvation. I wanted to trust Him with my steps on earth, too. I’d read books on faith and established habits of faith. I’d talked about faith and prayed about faith. But as I peered at my preschooler and his little blue backpack, I realized I’d been making faith too complicated.

Faith isn’t a feeling or a philosophy.
Faith isn’t a principle or a prescription.
Faith is taking God at His word.

In Romans 4, the Apostle Paul uses the story of Abraham to teach us about faith that pleases God. Though Abraham was old and his wife was barren, Abraham believed God’s pledge to make him the father of many nations. (Romans 4:18) According to Romans 4:20, “Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened.”

Abraham’s tale reminds us that faith isn’t an abstract theology, but an active response. Faith may not always change the way we feel about God, but it should consistently change the way we walk with Him. Like Abraham, when we take God at His word, we align our steps with the promises He has spoken rather than the probabilities we can see.

Even if faith seems simple, it’s not always easy. However, when my trust begins to waver, I remember a little boy with a little blue backpack, and I pray for courage to imitate his childlike faith. Because if he can trust the promise of an imperfect parent, then you and I can trust the word of our perfect Father.

Dear Father, thank You for always doing what You say You’ll do. Please show me where I’ve made faith too complicated, and reveal the ways I’m living like Your Word isn’t true. Help me to align my faith with Your faithfulness. I want to trade my doubts for praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.