When Things are Not as They Appear to Be

There are two references in the New Testament, maybe more, where God indicates things are not what they appear to be. In referring to Abraham, Paul says in Romans 4:19-23, "He is our father in the sight of God, in whom He believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Withhout weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was 100 years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.

Again, Paul in 1Corinthians 1:26-28, says this. "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are..."

The point is that sometimes in the absence of obvious, external support, or when that support points in the completely opposite direction, we are called to belief anyway. When in our eyes and for all intents and purposes the situation looks bad, it may not be what it appears to be. On the contrary, it may be the exact oppposite.

This does not mean faith is irrational or that we shouldn't trust our abilities to discern what is but it does mean that faith stands with God and His word, even when doing so appears silly from our own human perspective.

"God has the power to do what He had promised." Faith can have this assurance because it is directed neither to ourselves or to the circumstances, but to God. So, when circumstances look bleak and grim remember it could be that God is "... calling things that are not to nullify the things that are," or " ...calling things that are not as though they were."

I need to think about that!