Faith

(posted by Rubia)

For some time, I have been thinking about faith and trusting God. I have been reading through my Bible for the past few months, and a couple of months ago, I read Genesis 22, the chapter when God tested Abraham. In verse 2, 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.”

If I were Abraham, I would be very confused. “God wants me to do WHAT?” I’d probably ask myself. But Abraham did not hesitate. In verse 3, the Bible says, “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.”

Later in verses 7-8…”Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

            “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

            “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

            Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Abraham had so much faith! I wish that I could have as much faith as Abraham did. It turned out that God did provide an offering. Just when he was about to sacrifice his son…

Verse 11-18:  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.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

                The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Abraham was rewarded for his faith. In this story he is a great example of having faith in God. I have been praying that I will trust God and have faith like Abraham did!