A Final Test: Learning the Fear of the Lord
Genesis 22
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
The word of the Lord, the promise, comes and astounds us. The Lord’s vision for our lives is much greater than our skill set and charisma. At first, we may hesitate to believe Him, shrinking back in the face of His love and dreams for our lives.
If we can overcome that initial doubt and trust that as we walk with the Lord, He will fulfill His word within us, enlarging us to meet the promise, then we are on the right path. But the journey is long and requires patience. We can’t force it to happen. The road of faith involves watching, waiting, and, most importantly, trusting. We are called to be witnesses, while God takes the central role as the main actor. We play a supporting role.
And then, after what feels like a prolonged delay, holding fast to the promise over years and decades, comes another test. The Lord asks us to sacrifice the promise itself. He asks us to place that dream, that word, that hope, on the altar. We gather the wood and lay it upon the promise. Confusion sets in, but throughout the years, we have learned to trust the Lord, haven’t we?
We believed the Word. We trusted the process. We endured the delay. And now… Now, it’s time to lay the promise and the journey at His feet. Every fear and doubt from within and outside crowd in close. “What a waste! It makes no sense!” Accusations encircle us, attempting to ensnare and destroy us with the very Word of promise we’ve believed.
Abraham, the father of our faith, was asked to sacrifice his son. He was asked to sacrifice the promise. The Bible says he rose early, took Isaac, his son, and the wood for the altar, and set out. Traveling for many days, Abraham set his heart to perform the sacrifice on the mount of the Lord. After binding his promised son on the altar, Abraham lifted up the knife, ready to destroy, ready to obey. And then, right there, the Lord called out to stop him. “…For now I know that you fear God…”
There is a temptation to not believe, to lose heart in the delay, to give up out of frustration, and a temptation to take matters into our own hands, attempting to breathe our own life into a situation. But the man or woman who fears the Lord receives the promise!
When the Lord establishes something, He will uphold and protect it. No one can take it from you. No one can steal it. God will ensure that the Word, the promise, comes to pass. Fear the Lord! Trust His Word. Even when it makes no sense, trust the Lord.
