148: What God Remembers

What does God remember? Does He keep a record of all the times we didn’t believe Him? What about the times we waited on Him – perhaps for years – and He didn’t deliver so we gave up and took matters in out own hands, making a mess of things? Does He say, “I told you so? You deserve what you get?”

We can find some answers in the story of Abraham, the “father of our faith.”

At first we might be intimidated by Abraham’s faith when we read about him in Romans 4:

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,…” (Romans 4:20)

Year after year Abraham kept a good opinion of God even when it seemed that God was not delivering on His promise. How could this be possible?

“…and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore ‘it was accounted to him for righteousness.’” (Romans 4:21-22)¹

Paul said Abraham was “fully convinced.” Back in Genesis 15, God had told Abraham to look at the stars because that would be how many descendants he would have. But you should know that in Genesis 16, the very next chapter, Abraham decided not to wait on the promise, and he listened to the unbelief of his wife Sarah:

“See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” (Genesis 16:2)

So when Abraham was eighty-six years old, he bore a son with Hagar, Sarah’s slave, and named him Ishmael. All of this is interesting because in the New Testament account of this story, there is no record of any lack of faith on Sarah’s part:

“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because SHE JUDGED HIM FAITHFUL who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:11-12, emphasis mine)

The Bible says that Sarah judged God faithful. Wow. In our minds we would think that God would be righteous in remembering our sins. Don’t we deserve that? However, God considers it just that He DOES NOT remember our sins. Why? Because He remembered our sins once: when Jesus was punished for them. Now, in His justice He only remembers the good that we do:

“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10)

So we can forget about the mistakes of yesterday and move on! Once again, it all goes back to the righteousness of faith. Thank God that we can mess up, but He still delivers on His promises! Are you convinced that what God has promised you He is fully able to perform? That’s the righteousness of faith!

(from pages 233-234 of Unveiling Jesus)

Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!

Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.

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¹All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.  Used by permission.