Father of Many Nations, and Me

Scripture: For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), 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. Romans 4:16-17

Observation: In discussing the faith of Abraham, Paul makes this claim on behalf of the entire world ... all believers are in fact children of Abraham and thus recipients of the Lord's covenant. There are the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, but there are also "those who share the faith of Abraham", which is a faith of hope that the Lord has provided the Messiah, and by faith we are redeemed.

Paul's logic is in the fact that Abraham is promised to be the "father of many nations". This must only be true through adoption of all the nations into faith in Jesus. By lineage, Abraham is the patriarch of millions of people, but only three nations - the Israelites (Jews), Edomites, and Ishmaelites (Arabs) - and only two of those continue. Two or three isn't 'many'. However, through faith in Jesus, Abraham is now "the father of us all" extending to every nation and nationality that has existed over the last two thousand years, which has heard the good news. That is in fact "many nations", and since we know that the Lord's promises are always true, this is a reliable interpretation of the Lord's promise to Abraham.

Application: It is wonderful to know that the Lord had all mankind in mind ... in fact, had me in mind ... when making the covenant with Abraham. The Lord promised Abraham that he would be the patriarch of many nations, and has fulfilled that through a model of faith-based progeny that spans millennia.

A deeper analysis might also remind me of the obligations that comes with this, that if I am now adopted into the family of Abraham, I am a member of a priesthood intended to model the Lord to all others, and blessed to be a blessing to the world. However, for today I prefer to linger on the surface of grace, finding comfort in the idea that the Lord adopted me simply because I have said 'yes' to Jesus as my Lord and savior.

Prayer: Abba, my daddy in heaven, I thank you for your love. I can think of nothing greater than to be in your family, a child of the one true God, and a descendent of Abraham. Again I say, thank you. Amen.