Romans 4:17-25
God is not limited to one promise. Yes, he has made one promise to everyone. He has promised everyone who will believe in Christ, righteousness and eternal life. That is not God’s only promise; everyone who listens receives promises of his or her very own from God. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham’s promise was especially hard to believe because Abraham and Sarah were both way beyond childbearing years. God’s promise to Abraham illustrates a common theme in the promises God makes to us as individuals. Paul notes in verse 17 “God …gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.”

Before we receive individual promises from God, we must first respond to his promise to make us righteous through faith. Christ died for our sins, in order that we might live for eternity. His resurrection made possible our reconciliation. Having believed and accepted the gift of eternal life, we are now ready to receive much more from God. We want to spend eternity with Christ, but we also want our lives to make a difference right now. We see the death and destruction caused by evil all around us; we want to be a source hope and life.

God’s individual promises to Christians involve bringing the dead to life and creating something where there was once nothing. Some Christians will hear God promise to take dreams that they thought were long dead, and give them new life. Some Christians will find that God will breathe life into relationships they thought were ready for the grave. God is able to create opportunities where before there was hopelessness and emptiness. God’s hope for our life is not limited to eternity. God desires that we have life now and have it more abundantly. Let us each ask, “What dead thing in my life has God promised to revive?” “What has God promised to create in my life to fill the void? “ Hear God’s promise, believe it, and watch it come true.