I wanted to share with you one of my devotional readings this week. The Scripture passage is Genesis 22:1-19, where God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son, Issac, the promised child that Abraham had waited over 25 years to have. Just before he killed his son, God sent an angel to tell Abraham to stop, that his faith was confirmed. God then provided a substitute to be sacrificed, a ram. As you probably know, this passage foreshadows the substitute sacrifice that God would send for His people, His own son Jesus.
Here is part of the commentary in the devotional:
"Consider what it means for God to test His people. We would be straying from God's Word if we said He is ignorant of our response to His testing beforehand, for He knows what the outcome will be in advance (Isa. 46:8-11) . Instead, Scripture teaches that the Lord puts us through trials so that we might see the stuff of which we are made. Divine testing can create, renew, or strengthen our humility (Deut. 8:16). God disciplines us through trials that we might yield "the peaceful fruit of righteousness" (Heb. 12:5-11). When we pass heaven-sent tests we realize the strength of our faith and find a greater assurance of our salvation and the Lord's faithfulness.
Still it is not easy to endure such testing. This is no less true for the greatest heroes of the faith....Faith comes quickly when the Lord calls us to do easy things. But it is much harder to trust Him when He asks us to do difficult tasks." (like endure brain cancer)
Please pray that our family would pass the test that God has put before us, and do so by exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control).
For His Glory,
Dave
3 comments:
Yeah, I agree. I wish testing didn't include having to be put through "the fire." Feel like a guinea pig yet w/ all of the poking, prodding, testing, re-testing, MRI's, CT's, catheters, bloodwork, probe placement, dry runs, etc? They haven't even started the REAL thing yet! We're all rooting for you over here. On the way home from Fuddrucker's tonight, Isaac piped up from the back seat: "Mommy, is Kate still sick?" You get brought up by his little baby heart several times daily...on his mind as well as ours, the adults in this family. I loved the blogger's comment about the BIG "C" (Christ) and the little, no minute, no, nano-"c" (that's "c" to the minus ninth)...cancer. Way to go, blogger! Must run! Bath and bedtime at our house, too! Hugs to all, including DeeDee and SuperGram!
Remember that through the trials we also see the keys to all the gifts of God. We have the keys to His Kingdom and are the King's kids. I am greatful to be able to see His work in this trial/test. You have given so much to me and those I have shared your story. Continual prayers, grace and growth are occuring daily.
You might find the Dec. 10 sermon from First E. Free helpful - it addresses this and adds a Christmas perspective. Linda Sjerven
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