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Making Babies Means Putting God First

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”Romans 4:18
Clearly Abe had reason to hope. God was his reason to hope. God was the promise he would hold on to.

When Paul, who wrote this letter to the Romans, says there was no reason to hope, he is talking about human reasons. Even though no one likes to think about old people making babies, Paul is quite blunt here, telling us that Abraham had one foot in the grave.

Abe should have been searching for nursing homes. Instead, he is trying to figure out how to get Medicare to pay for lamasery classes and prenatal care.

This is putting God first! This is living on such a way that puts man second. Abraham had no earthly reason to expect a baby. I don't know if he had any friends he was confiding in, but I imagine them to be similar to the kind of friends Job had.

"Give up now!"
"Dude, you should have given up 2 decades ago!"
"You know, this is probably due to sin in your life."

But Abraham clearly was ignoring any advice he was being offered. He kept trying to make a baby with Sarah. Because even when there was no reason to hope, he kept hoping.

God first, man second.

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