Decide to Step out in Faith Posted by EBerrian The act of obeying God is not the cause why God rewards our obedience. It is an effect of the cause of our decision to obey. We decide to obey in our hearts. Take Abraham for example. When God asked him to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, what do you think of the cause of his obedience? Was it the travel to Moriah? Was it tying up Isaac to be sacrificed? No. These were effects. When Abraham was commanded to go sacrifice Isaac, it started with a decision in the heart. Abraham intended to obey God and the rest followed, as an effect. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded 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. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:2-5, NIV) It may not have been depicted specifically in the Bible. However, we see that Abraham intended his obedience. More so, he intended to have faith that God will provide. Even before he went up with Isaac, he already told his servants in verse five that they would come back together. Abraham intended to trust in God’s faithfulness and provision. Abraham intended to go back to the servants together with his son. He said it himself. 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 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?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. (Genesis 22:6-8, NIV) Imagine if Abraham did all the things, such as climb the mountain and tie up Isaac, without the intention in his heart to obey God. Imagine if it was just an outward action towards obedience. Will he go through with it? I bet he would not even get midway to the mountaintop. He would have turn around, lose faith in God, and turn away from him. What he did before anything else was to intend obedience and faith in God. True enough, God was indeed faithful to them. His obedience and faithfulness were not shamed.
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 06:08:24 +0000
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