Recently, I was reading the account of Abraham being commanded by God to offer Isaac as a sacrifice in Genesis 22: 1-19. After testing Abraham’s faith, God provided a substitute sacrifice and renewed His covenant with Abraham.
God tested Abraham, not to tempt him to sin, but to prove his faith. It was not God’s intention for Isaac to actually be sacrificed; that would contradict God’s character and His promises to Abraham. Faith in God had taught Abraham not to argue with His instructions, but to trust and obey God wholly. Abraham was confident that God was good and that His promises could not be broken. Abraham proved that he trusted God with the one thing he had waited for the longest – his son. Whether we like to accept it or not, often times, strong faith is brought on by strong trials.
Whatever is most important to you on the earth is your Isaac. Are you willing to give that person, object, or activity by faith into God’s hands? Sometimes a treasured relationship, prized possession or recreational activity can become an idol, replacing God’s rightful position in our hearts. What is that earthly thing or person in your life today? Can you unreservedly release that to God? It’s been said that, “Faith is like a muscle that only becomes stronger when it’s exercised.”
The truth of the matter is that, sadly, the majority of people who claim to be followers of Christ don’t place Him or the things of His Kingdom very high on their priority list. Most people don’t think anything about or complain in the slightest about spending 10’s of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on things like youth sports and other activities for their children. Yet, statistics prove that only 7% of high school athletes go on to play college sports (only 2% in NCAA Division 1) and only 2% of ALL college athletes go on to play professionally in some capacity. But yet, many in our churches make that an overwhelming priority in their lives and the lives of their children. In reality for the vast majority of them by the time that they are between 18 and 22 years old it won’t matter at all.
Our priorities have to change. Jesus Christ and His Kingdom have to be the focus of His Church, His Children, His Bride, His Followers. What’s the Isaac in your life?