MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL
There are a number of acts in the Bible that the Lord asks His people to do that just do not make sense. For example, He asked Noah to a build a boat in the middle of land to be ready for a flood when no man had ever seen a flood (see Genesis 6-8). Another example is that God asked Hosea to stay with His wife though she blatantly prostituted herself (see Hosea 3:1). Then, there is the example of Abraham and his son, Isaac. God made the following promise to Abraham:
“Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.†Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.†Genesis 15:5
At this time, Abraham had not had a child with his wife, Sarah, yet.
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.†Genesis 17:19
What a tremendously wonderful promise from God! Sarah gave birth to Isaac as God promised. Isaac was growing into a young man. In light of God’s promise, the following command from God makes no sense at all!
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.†Genesis 22:2
What turmoil Abraham must have faced at this command from God. Yet, Abraham believed God would still somehow fulfill His promise and he obeyed God as he went on with his son to the mountain.
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. Genesis 22:7-8
I imagine that in his turmoil, Abraham could not bring himself to tell his son the truth. Yet, he continued on in obedience and trusted God wholeheartedly.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 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.†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.†Genesis 22:9-14
Abraham passed the test. God intervened and provided in His perfect timing! Abraham trusted and obeyed God though His command made no sense and Abraham was greatly rewarded:
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.†Genesis 22:15-18
If you are subscribed to “Charlyne Cares†devotionals, you have certainly heard the call from God to pray for your prodigal spouse and stand for your marriage—a call that does not make sense. As we view our current relationships with our spouses, all our circumstances can easily tell us it does not make sense to continue to trust God to fulfill His promises and obey His calling. Our circumstances and people can tell us it makes total sense to move on and find someone else. The situation is too impossible. Why put up with the pain and disappointment any longer? But what if Abraham forsook God’s command to sacrifice his son? We can never know the full scope of that answer but we do know Abraham was greatly rewarded for passing the test and proving his faith to be genuine. And we will certainly face many trials.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:2-4, 12
We’re supposed to consider it pure joy to face trials? Of many kinds? Now that does not make sense. But in the process, we learn to persevere and are rewarded with maturity and fulfillment (not lacking anything). And that fulfillment comes from the one who DID go all the way and sacrifice His Son, Jesus. What makes the least sense is God’s love for us, that He did truly sacrifice His Son. On the way to the cross, though Jesus did nothing wrong and only good to His people, He was mocked, spit on, brutally beaten and tortured, yet He still said:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.†Luke 23:34
Through Christ, we can stand for love beyond all human sense!
Persevering in California,
Terry
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
There are a number of acts in the Bible that the Lord asks His people to do that just do not make sense. For example, He asked Noah to a build a boat in the middle of land to be ready for a flood when no man had ever seen a flood (see Genesis 6-8). Another example is that God asked Hosea to stay with His wife though she blatantly prostituted herself (see Hosea 3:1). Then, there is the example of Abraham and his son, Isaac. God made the following promise to Abraham:
“Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.†Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.†Genesis 15:5
At this time, Abraham had not had a child with his wife, Sarah, yet.
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.†Genesis 17:19
What a tremendously wonderful promise from God! Sarah gave birth to Isaac as God promised. Isaac was growing into a young man. In light of God’s promise, the following command from God makes no sense at all!
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.†Genesis 22:2
What turmoil Abraham must have faced at this command from God. Yet, Abraham believed God would still somehow fulfill His promise and he obeyed God as he went on with his son to the mountain.
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. Genesis 22:7-8
I imagine that in his turmoil, Abraham could not bring himself to tell his son the truth. Yet, he continued on in obedience and trusted God wholeheartedly.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 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.†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.†Genesis 22:9-14
Abraham passed the test. God intervened and provided in His perfect timing! Abraham trusted and obeyed God though His command made no sense and Abraham was greatly rewarded:
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.†Genesis 22:15-18
If you are subscribed to “Charlyne Cares†devotionals, you have certainly heard the call from God to pray for your prodigal spouse and stand for your marriage—a call that does not make sense. As we view our current relationships with our spouses, all our circumstances can easily tell us it does not make sense to continue to trust God to fulfill His promises and obey His calling. Our circumstances and people can tell us it makes total sense to move on and find someone else. The situation is too impossible. Why put up with the pain and disappointment any longer? But what if Abraham forsook God’s command to sacrifice his son? We can never know the full scope of that answer but we do know Abraham was greatly rewarded for passing the test and proving his faith to be genuine. And we will certainly face many trials.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:2-4, 12
We’re supposed to consider it pure joy to face trials? Of many kinds? Now that does not make sense. But in the process, we learn to persevere and are rewarded with maturity and fulfillment (not lacking anything). And that fulfillment comes from the one who DID go all the way and sacrifice His Son, Jesus. What makes the least sense is God’s love for us, that He did truly sacrifice His Son. On the way to the cross, though Jesus did nothing wrong and only good to His people, He was mocked, spit on, brutally beaten and tortured, yet He still said:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.†Luke 23:34
Through Christ, we can stand for love beyond all human sense!
Persevering in California,
Terry
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
