If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about – but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.” (CSB)

Have you ever thought about how boasting (or perhaps bragging in more modern terms) and hoping are related? What do you brag about? Is it your house or cabin – or perhaps the fact you had a hand in building them? Is it your garden and what you’re producing this summer? Is it your family? We all have things that we boast about – whether out loud or just quietly to ourselves in those moments where we think “my __ is better than theirs...” Boasting. But think about the underlying reasons we brag about these things – I made this, I produced this, I raised them, I worked for this. Our boasting shows that our hope is in ourselves. We are self-reliant, self-focused people who often forget that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).  

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God knew that our sinful pride would get in the way of accepting His grace. We tend to want to do, to perform, to take credit. But God has a different way. Faith. Trust.  

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In our verse for today, Paul is reminding the Romans that if Abraham had been justified by works – if that is where his salvation had come from – then he would have had something to boast about. He would have done something. But that’s not God’s way. No, God simply wanted Abraham to believe – have faith and trust in the work that God had done – and his genuine belief in God’s work was what saved him.

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His hope was firmly in God.

So, what about you? Have you placed your hope firmly in Jesus Christ and the work that He and He alone has done for you on the cross? I can’t fix my sins. I can apologize when I’m wrong, confess my sins to others and to God, and ask the Holy Spirit to work in me to help me become more like Jesus so that I sin less. But I can’t take away the penalty for my own sins, which the Bible tells us is separation from God. Only the blood of Jesus can do that – for me and for you.

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Even once we’ve settled this eternal question and put our hope in Jesus, we often settle day-to-day for placing our confidence in ourselves and others, which is evidenced by where we boast. Let’s go back to that original question of what you boast about. What if you changed the focus? I do love my garden and yard – because I see the glory of God on display and praise and pray while I’m working there. My family is amazing – but it’s by the grace of God and all glory is His. I’m so thankful for the health and strength He’s given to allow me to participate in building, creating and doing what He’s called me to do.  

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Flip the script! Turn your boasting to praise and declare your hope in Jesus!

Spend just a few moments now giving God praise and rejoicing in the hope you have in Him.  

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If you haven’t fully placed your hope in Jesus – today could be your day! He is waiting for each of us to come to Him and declare our belief that He is the Son of God who came to pay the price for our sins by dying for us on the Cross – shedding His blood to cover our sins. Praise God, Jesus conquered sin and death for us, and we can have eternal life when we accept through faith His gracious pardon.

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Blessings on your Monday!