Hi everyone, during last Sunday’s Holy Communion, my church had a very interesting sermon preached by our vibrant pastor (before she goes for her short sabbatical for her kids), which I thought it was rather appropriate because of her life’s testimony.

She started with the readings of the book of Genesis chapter 22

:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

Sometimes I was wondering, why would God test us from time to time? Ever thought of that? Ever thought why we have prayers but yet to see a breakthrough and started to doubt did God hear us?

And if HE truly loves us, why are we tested ?

I am pretty sure that there are a lot of people who walked away from their faith partly because of the tests that was laid before them.

Some of them are from ha satan, the Accuser, and some, God deliberately tested us.

Why?

Is this a game for HIM?

 
On the contrary, after walking with God for 10 years and this is the 9th year after I was baptized. I know HE always has a reason why there’re tests for us.

Jesus paid the price for us all, God said we will be victorious in Christ; but God NEVER promised us a bed of roses, in fact, we are to face trials again and again in our walk with him.

Back to the book of Genesis 22 as we go on:

: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.”

OK. For non-believers and even God-haters, this is their keynote to attack Christians, “Look! This God is crazy! He made Abraham kill his only son! And you know others in Muslim faith, they will rebuke this verse because there is Ishmael.

(We will not debate this here. Because it is a WHOLE different topic to look into)

So back to verse 2, why DID God deliberately emphasise to Abraham about Issac?

• only son
• whom you love?

My pastor at this moment pointed something really interesting, did the promise of God to Abraham (Abram that time), the child to build the nations like stars above and as vast as the sand, took too much attention from him away from the main purpose?

Interestingly my pastor pointed, like the Chinese people, Jewish families (especially those days) lay STRONG IMPORTANCE on SONS. To them to have a son is a big deal.

• Their son will look after them when they are old.
• Their son will protect them when they are old.
• They can pass down the father’s heritage / legacy to the son.
• Keeps the family reputation.
  (Daughters marries out)

When you are looking at this trend, I am pretty sure many traditional Chinese families would agree with me that this does sound very similar typical family mindset.

(Chinese in some ways aren’t very far different from the Jewish people, isn’t it? We will talk about that next time)

Time out a little here!

Ok, feminist, please don’t scream “heresy! See I told you so!” and troll here. You will be ignored; because we are looking at THAT time during THAT mindset. It was THEN. Please keep that in mind in case someone decides to troll before finish reading

So, ahem, back to verse 2, could my pastor be right?

Yet what did Abraham do? Let’s continue

: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.”

Ever notice that Abraham’s faith was so strong that he knew God won’t make him do it?

: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.

Man, if I was Abraham, I would have struggled. Any parent would.

Why?

Because in Jewish custom, when you offer a sacrifice, it is a burn sacrifice, which means you NOT only slay your sacrifice but you have to set your sacrifice ON FIRE

Which means, Abraham had to kill Isaac and set him on fire and watch him burn.

You realised Sarah was not mentioned in this part? (as my pastor pointed out) Which means Abraham did not tell Sarah what he was going to do.

Imagine if that really happened Abraham has to return and tell Sarah,
“by the way, honey, I offered God our only son today.”

What would Sarah have reacted? She could have gone berserk. Any normal mother would.

Hallelujah!

But the word recorded that Abraham did not need to offer up to Issac, although he DID bind him and just about to slay him, because the angel of the LORD was sent to stop him just on time and there WAS A RAM.

God said,

:12 “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.”

As my pastor continued to share all her thoughts during the expounding of the word of God; that got me thinking:
When God asked us to give up something in our lives, is it because that something has taken over all our strength?

1. Is it our own children?
2. Or even our career?
3. Or even our relationship (boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives)?
4. Or even our own parents?
5. Or let’s make it more modern our social media life?
6. Or make it spiritual, our comfortable going to church week in, week out, sing some praises, say “hallelujah!” on a great sermon way of life?
7. Or let’s make it more personal, our pride and our achievements?

We all somehow have an Isaac in our lives.
(If none of the above applies to you. CONGRATULATIONS. You probably be already be like those activated and empowered like those during the times recorded in Acts)

Are we straying away so much to the point that God has no choice but to test us to lay our “straying us away priority” on the altar, not only just that, but to slay and burn it?

Why? Why did God try to test us to give up all these?

Just to have communion with Him? That’s kind of selfish, isn’t it?

 
Actually, when we look at an eagle’s eye view point (God's view point too), we realise:

• These priorities are not ever lasting. Some things come and go. When you are too attached and you lose it, it tears you apart.
• They can actually keep our emotion on a roller coaster
  (Parents, if you agree say amen)
• They make you so self-aware, you are easily triggered when others are not agreeing with you.
• They waste your time (especially addictions) robbing off from doing something meaningful
• They could waste your money even (also speaking about addictions)

And the list goes on and on.

And when we strayed so far, God has to call us to go to Mount Moriah (probably again and again) so that he can re-align our hearts from all possible negative outcomes, influencing our balanced, sane, moving forward and fruitful life.
And speaking about point 6, are we so complacent of “the church life” we are enjoying that we have forgotten that there’s something bigger than just “sing songs, and be filled with a good dose of the word of God to pull us through another week” mentality.

I can tell you, the above point is not a normal Christian life.

I remembered in another sharing by Todd White,

When the shoe fits, kick it off

So, what is our Issac ? Did God test you something lately?

I can tell you I HAD one and it took a toll on me, and God HAD to pull me to my “Mount Moriah Moment” and in the end He restored me through and through.

But that will be another testimony in the future.

To enjoy what my pastor has shared in this whole sermon that also inspired my own revelation as well through the help of the Holy Spirit, please feel free to watch it below. You can listen to part of her life testimony as well.

Courtesy from Glad Tidings PJ

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