With every decision we make, our faith is put to the test. We typically make decisions based upon what we think is best. The question is: do we believe God that what he says is right and true? Do we believe him that his way is better than our way? Our belief will dictate our actions. If we believe what God says is best for us, then we will obey. If we believe our way is better, then we will do what we want.
Abraham has his faith put to the test in Genesis 22:1–18. God asks the unthinkable of Abraham. God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his beloved son. The request seemed implausible. Why would God ask such a thing? Abraham certainly questioned God if God really knew what he was doing. It was an intense testing of the faith.
So what do we do when our way seems better than God’s way? How do we respond when it seems God is asking more of us than we are able to give? What do we do when God’s way does not make sense to us? Below are some lessons we might learn from the story of Abraham.
Following Jesus involves sacrifice
God never promised that obedience would be easy. In fact, the opposite is more true. Jesus said that anyone who would follow him would deny himself and take up his cross. (Matthew 10:38, 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) The path of obedience is described as a narrow path (Matthew 7:13–14). When a scribe asked about following, Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:18–20)
If you are struggling with obedience, realize that it is not easy. If you are not finding obedience difficult, you might question if you are living obediently. Living in faith takes the strength of God provided by the Holy Spirit and the support of other godly people in our lives.
It’s the last thing to let go of that is the most important
God asked Abraham to give his only son. Abraham was a wealthy man. I can hear Abraham right now. He would ask God to take his money, take his flocks of sheep, take his servants, take his own life, but don’t take his son. It was the last thing Abraham wanted to give up.
Many of us are willing to go to great lengths for God, but we typically have one thing that we are still holding. It is the last area of our life that we are willing to surrender over to him. But it is the most important area to give over to God because it is the one thing that is keeping us from complete surrender. It is the one thing that is keeping God from using us in a more powerful way and allowing us to see the incredible blessing he wants to work in our life. Ask God to reveal these hold outs in your life.
God will not ask anything he is not willing to do himself
Keep in mind God asks nothing more of you than what he is willing to do himself. He loves you with an incredible love like no one has ever loved you. His love keeps coming like a freight train. We might ask how God could ask Abraham to sacrifice his only son, but that is exactly what God the Father does for us. He sacrificed his son, Jesus, out of his great love for us.
Now God calls us to love others with the same love that he loved us with. It is a sacrificial love which is willing to give up everything, but does not ask anything of others. It is a love which will go to any length and make whatever sacrifice is necessary. It is impossible for God to ask too much of us, because whatever he would ask of us would not even begin to approach what he has already done for us.
God is good at waiting until the last moment
It was in the very last moment which God stops Abraham from sacrificing his son. God could not have waited a second more. That is the way God works. He is really good at coming through in the last hour at the last moment. He has a way of providing us just what we need and never more. But this is what makes it faith. If God provided in the first hour rather than the last hour our trust would be in God’s provision rather than God.
If you believe you are living faithful, keep believing God will come through. He is true to his promises. He will always make good on what he orders. Even though God may not have come through yet, you can be confident he will.
Your sacrifice
Today, God is calling you to believe. He is calling you to be faithful. He is calling you to keep trusting him. Your faith may be tested. Will you choose to follow what may seem right to you or will you follow what God says is right? You may still lack full surrender because you are not sure if you trust God enough with a certain area of your life. Ask him to help you in your unbelief. Ask him to give you the courage to trust him. Live out the sacrifice! When you look back you will realize what you imagined as a great sacrifice today was really no sacrifice at all.
Colleen Norris says
Thank you! I enjoyed the message. I look forward to this each week.
Lisa says
Isn’t that the truth! Our way or Gods way. Thank you!
Shannon Dean says
Thank You.