The Scripture text for this Sunday is about doubt and fear in the face of God's promises deferred. It's about what happens when faith experiences loss of hope. Is it possible to lose hope and keep faith intact? That seems oxymoronic. Yet, the writer of Genesis doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Abraham loses hope. It had been a number of years since God first promised Abraham an heir (Gen.12). More than an heir, he promised Abraham that his descendants would be like the dust particles of the earth -- too numerous to count (Gen.13:16). Abraham was in his seventies when the promise first came to him. His wife, Sarai, was in her sixties. Now Abraham is in his eighties and Sarai in her seventies. The promise is yet to be fulfilled. You have to admit -- It doesn't look good. Abraham loses hope. Who can blame him?
Maybe he doesn't lose hope completely. Do we ever? As much as it may hurt us we don't ever completely give up hope in those we love. A wayward child. An angry, bitter parent. A cold marriage. When we love, we try to understand. Maybe that's what Abraham is doing. He's trying to understand. Perhaps what he is experiencing is not so much the loss of hope, but rather the attack of the twin enemies of hope -- doubt and fear. Loss of hope is a tough one for me. It's in my nature to be optimistic and hopeful. I cling to hope like a mountain climber clings to his rope. But doubt and fear? That's another story. Those pesky twins are constantly yapping at my heels.
It's no wonder, then, that this chapter beings with God saying to Abraham, "Do not fear." Twice in this passage, Abraham expresses his fear that the promise is impossible to keep. He wants to believe. But he has his doubts. A decade of no results has a way of breeding fear and doubt. Optimism wilts. Faith punts. Hope suffocates. It can happen to the best of us.
Paul said, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom.8:37). And John said, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear ..." (1 John 4:18). And a man who wanted Jesus to heal his son said, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). And Abraham, with fear and doubt gnawing at him, silently accepts God's response to his lament, and "because he put his trust in God" it was counted as righteousness (Gen.15:4-6).
I don't know what you are going through right now. I'm not sure which doubts and fears are plaguing you today. If everything is going perfect for you -- Great! Enjoy it because it won't last. Doubt and fear are a part of life. Lent is the season where we embrace that. We understand that to doubt and fear is to be human. To lose hope from time to time is to take part in the great human experience. Abraham experienced it. Moses perfected it. Deborah, Saul, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, Esther ... they all fought the twin demons of fear and doubt. They all had moments when they lost hope.
It's still dark outside. Easter isn't here yet. So turn around and face the twins that are hounding you. Fear and doubt are no match for the One who lives inside of you.
1. Do something Selfless.
2. Do something Spiritual.
3. Do something Sacrificial.
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