One More Day!

Genesis 22:1-14

1.     Imagine you were Abraham and had to walk through this life experience. What are some of the feelings you would face?

I often think questions like this are quite unfair. Let’s just pretend that I’m asked to kill my first born. After that first devilish desire to agree to it, the answer is, “absolutely not! No, never, I will not. I cannot!

And this when I have two and am young and could get more.

So you say, pretend you’re Abraham and your more than 100 years old and this is your only son, the promised son to build a nation from. And there isn’t all of that lovely technology to take a chance with and have octoplets … NO!

But I’m still not quite in the role.

Remember it is GOD, the voice, talking to you. (Imagine Roy Luecke.)

I think I’d give just about anything for God to speak loud and clear in my ear and give me a direct order. How could I not?

I sit here imagining scenarios I might be given in which the answer would still be a resounding NO. Lovely.

Feelings? Anger, frustration, confusion, fear, uncertainty, panic, sorrow.

2.    Years later, as Abraham looked back on this whole experience, how might it have impacted his life and faith?

I would be very quick to answer the call of God. Send ME. Or at least quicker. I think he’d be willing to give a whole lot more of himself. And if that was the last time he heard the Voice of God, I would be quite anxious to meet up with Him again.

Yet, I have an experience I can look back on. Hindsight. And see how God had a different plan for me. It all worked out. I have it quite easy. Perhaps too easy. That experience hasn’t kept me from questioning any of His new plans.

Now think about this experience from Isaac's perspective (remember, he was the one that was placed on the altar as a young boy). How might this whole experience have impacted Isaac's life and faith?
Aside from thinking my Father was a lunatic? Although Abraham didn’t share very much of the request/scenario with his son at the time, I must imagine that it was a story they shared growing up. It might have prepared him a bit for what God had in store for him.

However, if you know of a person that God has talked to, think of how skeptical we are. Children today might pass on the wonder of the story having heard it so so so very many times. When Isaac passed on the story, there was probably the unedited version and then the version he told his friends. “Hey, Isaac! What really happened?” “Well, let me tell you …”

3.    John points out that the word "testing" (a difficult experience through which a person's true values, commitments, and beliefs are revealed) is only used in reference to the people of God. Why would God reserve testing for his children?

Number one: we are the only ones properly prepared for it. We know the greater picture and the grander purpose. We have faith to fall back upon and build upon. And we should have our eyes on the right goal.

 Number two: God does not want us to remain childlike and immature. He wants us to advance in our faith, love, gifts, abilities and habits. How do we advance children grade to grade? We test them to determine if they are ready. We look for areas that need work and train them appropriately.

Number three: We are God’s clay. We are God’s silver. He molds us and fires us to make us pure and beautiful

How can testing be a form of true love?

He wants us so desperately. He yearns for us. He calls to us. He makes Himself open and available. He will not deny us that which we need most. In return He wants us to trust Him implicitly. He wants our dependence upon Him. He wants us willing. He prepares us for Himself.

I don’t know about testing being a form of true love. But anyone willing to go to so much trouble for us in order to bring us home. That’s true love.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith –
more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire –
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)