Well, apparently you should...
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." -- Genesis 22:1-2
We are all familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac. God tested Abraham is what it says. He tells him to sacrifice Isaac. Kill him and then burn him for Me. So if this is a test, then that means there is a right answer and some wrong answers. Let's be honest, if this was written by a modern American, it would be way different! The right answer would be to say to yourself, "Now God would never ask me to do something so drastic!" The right answer would be to talk to a doctor and tell him you have been hearing strange voices and need help. The right answer might even be to say, "No way God. I won't do something so atrocious and if this is the kind of God you are then I don't want to serve you." But what does the Bible say the right answer is?
Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." -- Genesis 22:10-12
Abraham goes through with it and comes inches from killing his own son. If you are a parent, really try to picture it. It makes me sick to think of killing Michaela. Yet to God, this was passing the test. Abraham did the right thing by obeying God even in doing what most of us would consider horrifying and wrong. And then the Bible paints this as one of the greatest acts of faith ever! What do you make of that?
It tells me that I am an idolater. There is a part of me that doesn't think this is right. There is a big part of me that doubts I would go through with it if I was in Abe's sandals. What I'm saying is that there is a big part of me that thinks that Michaela is more important than God. There is a part of me that values what I think and what I desire more than what God commands. There is a part of me that puts those things in the position of first priority instead of God Himself.
I imagine that if God asked me to do this sort of thing, I would pass it off as some sort of delusion or strange dream. I wouldn't take it seriously. I'd say certainly that wasn't God, maybe it was the devil speaking to me. I might even seek psychiatric help. But of all the things I might do, I'm not sure if actually obeying is one of them.
What else would I hold back from God if He asked it of me? What else might I explain away as crazy talk?
If God asked me to increase my tithing, would I actually do it? Would I say God sees my heart and isn't interested in my money?
If God asked me to sell my house, donate the money, and move to the mission field, would I do it? Would I say that couldn't be God because its unwise to sell in this market?
If God asked me to give up my friends because they are bad influences, would I do it? Would I reason that God couldn't want that because He would want me to love everyone?
Every time I say no to God, I am identifying another idol in my life. If I would not sacrifice it to God, then I am putting it before God. Here are some questions I've been asking myself.
- What are the idols in my life? What am I putting before God?
- What do I need to confess to God?
- How can I break the power of that idol in my life?
- Is God calling me to give something up?
- What has God commanded of me in the Bible that I have been excusing or disregarding?
- What has the Holy Spirit urged me to do in my heart that I have ignored?
No comments:
Post a Comment