Too Good to Be True

Daily Reading: Romans 4

Scripture Focus: In hope he believed against hope… (Romans 4.18)

Devotional Thought: Have you ever heard yourself or somebody else saying, "That's too good to be true"? And what do you typically find out? That it's not true! But the good news is - God isn't constrained by our expectations! When God says something is true - even when it's too good to be true - it's true!

In Romans 4, the Apostle Paul shared the story of Abraham who had received the promise of God that he would be the father of many nations with Sarah, his wife, as the mother. At one point the promise seemed too good to be true. Sarah was barren at 89 years old and he himself was 99 years old. But, Abraham "in hope believed against hope" and found out that God "specializes in things thought impossible."

Peter, imprisoned for his faith, thought it was too good to be true when an angel rescued him from his jail cell. He thought he was dreaming! Naaman, leprous and desperate, thought it was too good to be true when he was told to wash and be clean. He thought it was too easy. Some Israelites, bitten by venomous snakes, thought it was too good to be true when they were told to look at a bronze snake and live. They thought it was silly.

I have friends who have cancer, others whose relationships are severed, others who are addicted, others who need a home, others who are in financial straits, and still others who feel totally inadequate for their divine assignments. They need answers that are too good to be true. I join with them "in hope to believe against hope." If you are that way, I encourage you to "in hope believe against hope."

Prayer: Father, you specialize in things that seem impossible. You demonstrated this when you raised Jesus from the dead. I present my impossibilities to you today so that you can do what no one else can. In hope, I believe against hope. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, and their offspring from among the children of man. 11 Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed. 12 For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows. 13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power. (Psalms 21:8-13)