February 4, 2013
Central Truth
God wants me to hold everything with a loose hand, trusting that He cares for what is in it more than I do.
"[N]ow I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:12b)
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy 1 22:5 Or young man; also verse 12 will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; 2 22:14 Or will see as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” 3 22:14 Or he will be seen
15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his 4 22:17 Or their enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
There are few things in life I hold more dear than my husband and my children. I know that they are a gift from the Lord and that they don't truly belong to me. But when it comes to their well-being, I guard it pretty fiercely. I am amazed by this passage of Scripture in which Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, as an act of worship to the Lord. Even more amazing is Abraham's response of total obedience! He did not ask "why" or plead for a "Plan B." He trusted the Lord, period. I find it rather easy to trust Him when things are going well and even when things are difficult for those around me. I begin to have trouble when He asks me to trust Him with what I hold most dear. Over the years, He has asked me to do just that.
For the first several years of our marriage, Rick and I struggled with infertility. Then we lost our first child to miscarriage. After giving birth to our oldest son in 2000, I was diagnosed with cancer. When our youngest child was 3 months old, he was hospitalized with RSV. After several days in the hospital, the doctor told us that our son was not responding to the treatments and that all we could do was wait to see if he would "turn the corner."
In all of these situations, I was faced with a choice: trust the Lord and release my loved ones into His care, growing my faith in the process; or be consumed with worry and attempt to control the situation. I would love to say that I never wavered in my faith, and that now I hold everything -- including my husband and children -- with a loose hand. But I still struggle. What I have learned is that He wants to prove Himself over and over to me. I just have to let Him! And thankfully, He is just as trustworthy today as He was back then!
1. What am I holding on to that is hard to release to the Lord?
2. Do I truly believe that He will be faithful to His promises?
3. Do I respond to trials with fear or see them as an opportunity to apply and grow my faith?