As Good as Dead
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. (Romans 4.18-24)
I recently spent the Easter week with hundreds of frontline workers praying and contending for traumatized nations. But in the process, the Lord exposed my own heart. Although like Abraham, I aspire to be the “mother of nations,” I have against all hope lost hope. After not seeing tangible answers to prolonged challenges, my prayers have faltered in some areas. My expectation of answered prayers have slid below the benchmark of His promises. For example, instead of expecting that the Lord would answer my prayers for a loved one fully following Jesus, I’ve settled for the person being nice about Jesus. Without admitting it, I felt the case was as good as dead.
But Jesus’ unique proposition is reviving the dead. My friends, during this time between Resurrection and Pentecost, let us rededicate to the Lord one tenuous challenge where our hope seems dead or dying. And let Jesus rekindle our hearts (kardia, Greek) again with, “I can. And I will.” Kardia includes our thoughts, understanding, will, emotions and ideals. It is “our very core that motivates and compels us—our personality. . . The heart is the seat of our appetite and even our courage.”*
So let us take three simple steps:
Rededicate to Jesus a specific area where our hope is dead or dying.
Write down the specific promise He has given you. Let the Holy Spirit rekindle our hope according to His promise.
Place the promise somewhere visible, for example your bathroom mirror. And let’s elevate our prayers daily according to—no lower than—the promise and scriptures He gave you and I.
Let us mark this day hoping against all hope, believing that Jesus will resurrect dead hopes and dreams according to His promises. I look forward to one day sharing our answered prayers together!
Dr. Mary Ho, DSL
All Nations International, Inc. | International Executive Leader
Reaching the neglected globally -- the least, the last, and the lost
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