"Abraham reasoned that God could raise the
dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death."
{Hebrews 11:19} (NIV1984)
For years,
worshipers of the LORD God, read Genesis 22 and wondered, “How could Abraham submissively
and worshipfully sacrifice his son to God?” What a blessing it is to all of us
to have the Holy Spirit tell us what was going through Abraham’s mind. The
Spirit, through the writer to the Hebrews, tells us that Abraham thought about
what he was asked to do. As he thought about the ‘clear’ direction God had
given him, and as he thought about the promise of God fulfilled in the life of
his son that he was now being asked to destroy, he ‘reasoned’ that God could
raise the dead.
Resurrection had not yet happened in Scripture. But as he
considered who God was, His character as the promise-keeper, His capability as
the Most High God who created everything and who could not do wrong, Abraham came to
the conclusion that God would bring Isaac back from the dead. And then because
of this belief in his mind, he made extensive preparations, took the long
journey, and proceeded to sacrifice his son. In two words: by faith. So much
for faith being blind! Faith is based on the promises of God and the Person of
God behind the promises. A person who believes the promises of God, and knows
the Person of God, worships God by being willing to give up anything for God,
even the child they love.
Oh friend, may we today lay one thing/one person that
we love, on the spiritual alter before our God. May we approach Him with hearts
full of adoration and thanksgiving, ready to sacrifice that which is dear to
us, in obedience to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment