Bits of Heaven. Russell J. Levenson Jr.

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      In the last meditation, I said that I would touch on what God’s promise of numberless children meant to Abram. Abram, whom God eventually renamed Abraham, did become father to a few children, but he became the spiritual father of children without number—children that exceeded the number of stars in the sky, believing children who, like Abraham, “believed.” Abraham is actually seen as the patriarch of the three great world religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the Christian faith, however, we see Abraham as the prototype not just for how we understand righteousness, but also for how we live it—how it becomes more than a just a word.

It is good that we get this word “faith,” not tucked in some obscure, hard-to-find verse in scripture, but in the first book—setting the stage for a recurring theological theme that is echoed again and again.¹⁰ Put simply, the pathway to right living is right relationship. Because we know (or should know) that God loves us, we are filled with a desire to live in good, right, loving ways. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

      The problem with focusing on “right behavior” rather than “right relationship” is that we all fail the “right behavior” test. When we focus solely on right actions, then we become riddled with guilt, shame, and a sense of failure. Pastor Charles Swindoll writes about this, suggesting:

By living like that, we develop a worst-case mentality. That is like my taking my keys and handing them over to one of my teenagers who just got a driver’s license and saying, “Now let me remind you, you’re going to have a wreck. So the first thing you need to do is memorize the phone number of our car insurance agent. That way, when you have an accident you can be sure to call the right number. But here are the keys. Hope you enjoy the drive.”¹¹

      When God took Abram out under that night sky, he made a promise to our ancient patriarch. We are told the promise came not because Abram deserved it, or earned it, or had never stumbled or fallen, but because God willed it . . . it was God’s gift, God’s decision to bless Abram. In response, Abram’s belief and trust in his relationship with God is what God deemed righteous.

      What makes a marriage? The vows or the love between husband and wife? What makes a friendship? Being the perfect friend or having affection for one another? What inspires loyalty in sports or military service? The jersey? The uniform? Isn’t having a right relationship the birthplace of living the right way?

      Not too very long ago, my family and I once again were given the gift of that lake home. My son and I hiked and fished, and he learned to ski in the very waters where I had learned so many years ago. When our time was over, we cleaned up, washed the linens, took out the trash—not because we had to, but because we wanted to, in response to a wonderful gift borne of mutual affection . . . borne of love.

       A Bit of Heaven

      What inspires you to do the right thing? Is it fear? Guilt? An attempt to somehow make up for wrong things? To balance the scales? When it comes to God, would you rather be “right” or be in a “right relationship”? If you know that “Abram believed and God credited that to him as righteousness,” how does that change your understanding of righteousness? If you know that “we love because He first loved us,” how does that change your motivation to do the right thing?

       A Prayer

      Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love, warm me and make me fervent that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust You altogether. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. In You I have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am poor; You are rich and came to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; You are upright. With me there is an abundance of sin, in You is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with You, of whom I can receive but to whom I may not give. Amen.

—Martin Luther, d. 1546¹²