SCRIPTURE READINGS
GENESIS 12:1-4
ROMANS 4:1-5,13-17
JOHN 3:1-7
SUNDAY REFLECTION
The theme for our reflection is “Stepping out in faith into a new life”. Stepping out in faith into a new life means making a confident and definite choice to trust God with one’s life. We shall examine the ways we are expected to step out in faith into a new life and the benefits of doing so.
- Stepping out in faith into a new life is demonstrated through obedience to God.
- Stepping out in faith into a new life is demonstrated through repentance and regeneration.
- God’s promises and Justification are the rewards of stepping out in faith into a new life.
First, obedience to God is an act of stepping out in faith into a new life or a demonstration of our readiness to walk with God. Abraham obeyed God when He said to him, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you…So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.” {Genesis 12:1,4). It is sometimes difficult to respond to or obey God’s call when we find ourselves in our comfort zone. Abraham had reasons to give an excuse to the Lord. First, in his father’s house, he had access to properties, and there was no reason to leave all that behind; second, he was an aged man of seventy-five years and did not need to travel far from home. These were excuses many of us would have given if we were called upon to serve the Lord with our lives. We usually think of comfort, wealth and all the things we have toiled for and refuse to step out in faith to where the Lord has purposed for our lives. Abraham had every reason to disobey God, but he stepped out in faith into a new life, entrusting God with his life and destiny. Beloved in the Lord, we cannot obey God without faith. In other words, it is impossible to step into a new life without faith. We are greatly encouraged in Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Dedicating our lives to serve God must be an act of faith. Stepping out in faith into a new life is a commitment to obey Him every step of the way. Sometimes stepping out in faith comes with a cost, a cost of leaving family and friends behind and denying oneself to do the will of God. It is for this reason that Jesus revealed to us that “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27) The Lent season offers us the opportunity to reflect on our calling and to take a firm decision to step out in faith by obeying the Lord. Like Abraham, the choice is yours today to make. Let us step out in faith, and the Lord’s promises shall be fulfilled in our lives.
Secondly, repentance and regeneration are required of us as a definite way of stepping out in faith into a new life from our old nature. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:5-7). We cannot step out in faith into a new life if we still live in sin; stepping out in faith into a new life means bearing the fruit of repentance and regeneration through the sacrament of baptism and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul after stepping out in faith into a new life confessed to the Galatians that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Many of us have been baptised yet we have still not stepped out in faith into a new life by surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We must allow the Holy Spirit to rebirth us spiritually and totally surrender our lives to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). We have another opportunity through the Lenten season to live the transformed life as a people who have been baptised with water and Spirit through faith.
Thirdly, God does not call us to step out in faith without a reward. When He called Abraham to step out in faith, He promised him, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3). Again, when we step out in faith into a new life in obedience to obey the Lord, Paul reminds us that “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”… It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. (Romans 4:3,13) Dear friend, God’s promises are fulfilled in our lives, and we are justified by faith as righteous children of God when we step out in faith into a new life.
In summary, we have reflected on the theme “Stepping out in faith”. We have discovered that stepping out in faith is a sign of our obedience to God. Stepping out in faith is a sign of our repentance and regeneration, and last but not least, the reward for stepping out in faith is the fulfilment of God’s promises in our lives and our justification through faith as the righteous children of God. May the Holy Spirit empower us to step out in faith during this Lenten season and beyond. Amen.
Call to Action
Stepping out in faith is not a one-time event, but a daily decision to trust God’s compass over our own comfort. This Lenten season, I challenge you to:
- Identify Your “Harran”: Like Abraham, we all have a “place” of comfort or a past habit that keeps us from moving forward. Identify one area of your life where you have been resistant to God’s leading and commit to surrendering it this week.
- Embrace the New Birth: Do not rely solely on a past ritual or a family tradition. Ask yourself: “Is the Holy Spirit currently producing fruit in my life?” Step out of the “flesh” and make a conscious effort to seek spiritual renewal through prayer and the study of the Word.
- Act on the Promise: Faith without works is dead. If God has placed a calling on your heart—to serve, to forgive, or to lead—take the first step today. Trust that the justification and blessings promised to Abraham are also yours through Christ.
Prayer
Gracious and Eternal Father,
We thank You for the example of Abraham, who obeyed without knowing the destination, and for the promise given to Nicodemus, that we might be born again of the Spirit.
Lord, we confess that we often cling to our comfort zones and our old natures. We ask for the courage to step out in faith. During this Lenten season, strip away our excuses and our fears. Wash us clean by the water and the Spirit, and let the life of Christ be clearly seen in us.
We thank You that our righteousness is not earned by our own strength, but credited to us through faith. May Your promises of blessing and justification be our anchor as we navigate the unknown paths You have set before us. Empower us to be a blessing to others, just as You blessed Abraham.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, we pray. Amen.
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