Have you ever been in a situation where your faith has been tested? God regularly provides us with opportunities that require us to step out of the boat and do something scary. I remember when I got into youth ministry. I had a great job making tons of money when I came to a cross roads in my life. Do I continue on the path of comfort or do I quit my job and serve the Lord and His youth? Obviously you know what my decision was but it was the scariest time of my life. I know in the midst of this God was asking me " Are you really in and how faithful are you?"
Abraham had just had his faith tested with his son being born. He was an old guy and his was was just as old. God told them He would give them a son. Abraham had doubts but sure enough, God gave him a son at the ripe old age of 100. Today we see Abraham's faith tested again as God asks him to sacrifice his son. Are you kidding me? Abraham is asked to not only give up but to kill the one thing he had longed for for 100 years.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
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. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Right before Abraham is getting ready to kill his son an angel of the Lord comes to him and says "Whoa you crazy fool, we were just testing you. Don't kill your son. By the way you passed the test." These are the words from the JESMV (Jarrod's English Standard Message Version).
God is going to test your faith at some point. What will you do? Will you do as Abraham did and complete a task for God no matter how crazy? Or will you sit on the sidelines like so many others regularly do wondering, what if?
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