In December time I was driving home on the road to Kells one day and along the side of the road there was a man & his son standing and the daddy had a big chainsaw in his hand. Obviously, or actually I’m just assuming, they were up on the farm cutting down wood, perhaps for the fire in the home.
As soon as I saw them, the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 popped straight into my head and the question ‘How much do you trust me?’. I always was blown away by the story of Abraham & Isaac, probably more so since I’ve had children but think about it, being asked to sacrifice your son. The amazing thing is Abraham asked no questions. He got up early and got on with what God had asked him to do. It took three days to get there. Could you imagine those three days knowing what was ahead, your son oblivious to what was going on and knowing what children are like, Isaac was probably chatting away without a care in the world. Verse 5 amazes me tho…”Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” (Genesis 22:5 NLT). Abraham trusted God and had the faith to say ‘we’ll be back’, WE will, not I will. He kept going, built the altar, got the wood ready & even tied his son to altar still trusting & knowing God would provide a sacrifice. I wonder what he was thinking, I’m sure he was terrified, was he saying ‘Right God, I’m trusting you here, I’m doing what you asked…any chance’…I’ve said that before but yet Abraham trusted, right up to the very last second when he was just about to sacrifice his son. Then in verse 12 it says “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Could you imagine the relief Abraham must have felt. Yes, he trusted God and knew God would provide a sacrifice but he was human too so I’m sure he had the feeling we would have.
What strikes me is the trust and willingness. He trusted God and was willing to do anything, yes I think if you were willing to sacrifice your own son you would do anything, for God.
‘How much do you trust me?’ was the question I was left with. In the middle of our circumstances at the minute, how much do I trust Him?, in the middle of daily life, how much do I trust him? Am I willing to do ANYTHING He asks?
Mmmmm….just a thought in the world of Chelle!!! xo