Word of Life - Rom 4:17b

“In the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” (Rom 4:17b ESV)

What is emphasized?

The presence of Almighty God.

Abraham knew whom he believed. He walked in the presence of God. That was why he knew Him. St. Paul had the same experience: “I know whom I have believed.” (2Tim 1:12) He knew how great God is: “Nothing will be impossible with God.” (Lk 1:37) “He gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” This consciousness of God’s omnipotence and at the same time of personal love of God led Abraham to a heroic deed. In a hard trial he showed that he loved God more than his own son, even though God had promised him both physical and spiritual descendants in his son. He knew that God can give life to the dead. He already had the experience that the son whom God had promised to him was born of the fruitless and even dead womb of Sarah. Through the steps of faith that he made, Abraham gained deep knowledge of God.

Practical application:

Realize at least for one minute in prayer that God sees you.

The first martyr Stephen said before his death: “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God...” You too look up by faith to heaven and God’s glory. This is the first step. The second one is: at least for a minute realize that God created millions of stars and put laws into the living and the dead matter, that He is almighty and can give life to the dead. Try to stand in the faith of Abraham, in the same faith as the Mother of God who believed that with God nothing will be impossible. Through her faith the greatest miracle happened: God became man, the Word became flesh. Follow the example of Abraham, the father of faith, and give God the first place – before yourself and your family. Following the example of Jesus’ and your Mother, believe that God is almighty, that He can give life to the spiritually and physically dead, that He can give life to the Church in Ukraine! Doubt not and believe! At least one minute in the presence of God: “I see the heavens opened!”