Genesis 22:1
[ Abraham Tested ] Some time later God tested Abraham.
Genesis 22:3
Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
2 Chronicles 32:31
But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
Imagine for a moment that it’s your normal time for prayer. How do you respond normally? For most, it’s a time that is looked forward to; quiet time at the end of your day, time for reflection and meditation before starting your day, a midday reprieve from the stress that envelopes you as you work through the day’s problem. Whatever and whenever, how would you respond in the face of a request like the request made of Abraham, a request by God to sacrifice the son of promise? What happens when God shows up with more than just ‘Holy Ghost goose bumps?” Take a note from Abraham’s response: He got up early the next morning and got about his Father’s business. If there was any doubt, any hesitation, any trepidation, Abraham resolved in the same moment of prayer in which the request was made. After all, what was he going to do? Go pray about it? “Wait just a minute Lord.” “I have to pray about that one.” Right.
God still makes such requests. Not as stark as human sacrifice, but just as monumental: the call to Salvation, the call to ministry, the call to missions, the prompting to witness to a family member or a coworker. The prompting to give. Any of these promptings will change lives eternally: yours or someone else’s as a result of your obedience. Take Abraham’s example to heart. His steadiness in this situation was evident. There’s almost a gusto or zeal in his carrying out of the Lord’s request. No foot dragging. No hand wringing. No procrastination. No fear and trembling, at least not outwardly. No excuses. Abraham rose early and got busy. Scripture tells us, that though he did not complete his task in the manner requested by God, just his belief that God would resurrect this ‘son of promise’ if he did sacrifice him. Scripture also tells us that in so believing, Abraham did indeed redeem his son from death.
What does that mean for you and I Beloved? A great deal actually. You see, God does not do things in a ‘small’ way. It was no ‘light’ thing for God to resurrect Isaac if necessary, thus the request that he made to Abraham was not a small one. When Abraham believed God, he became the vehicle that God, who cannot fail, would use to accomplish His divine purpose. Abraham didn’t know the how, hadn’t questioned the why. He just knew that somehow God would. Would what? Whatever He says He will do. If He calls you to salvation: a saving relationship through the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Savior, nothing will pluck you out of His hand…for eternity. If He calls you to ministry or missions, whole communities or populations will be affected. If He calls to testify to a friend or a relative, you may literally gain a brother or sister for eternity. If He calls you to give monetarily, your gift may literally move nations. Nothing is too hard for Him. Nothing! Therefore, you can, with confidence; move into the place that God leads you with the assurance that whatever He sets your hand to, whatever purpose He places in your heart will be accomplished to His eternal satisfaction. The key is to operate in faith. We walk by faith, not by sight. We please Him by faith. By faith, all things are possible through Him or rather, the possibilities with God are limitless…literally. How will you respond to God’s call to follow, to serve, to witness, to give. What ever you do for the Lord, do it whole heartedly, cheerfully, believing in the endless possibility that your obedience will unleash. Abraham did. So can we.
Blessings,
.wb
Hebrews 11:19
Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Jeremiah 32:27
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Romans 8:37
… in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
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