LEARNING DAILY

Genesis 22:1, Now it came time to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

If you take time to read about Abraham’s life in the book of Genesis, you find that he was no stranger to challenges. All the challenges he had faced led to the ultimate of challenges by God. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Think about this for a moment. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah when they were past childbearing stage in their lives. Isaac was the son that Abraham’s promises from God would go through; he was the child of promise. But when God called, Abraham responded, he answered. Abraham was ready and willing to answer God’s call and was willing to be obedient regardless of the circumstances.

It seems like a pretty cruel thing to be told to do from the human perspective. Do you see the difficulty Abraham faced? “At the center of this test from God was not only Abraham’s love for his son, Isaac but also in the promises God had given Abraham in connection with him. If Isaac was to die, those promises would never be fulfilled” (Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg).  God does test His followers. If He tested Abraham, know that He will test Believers today! The devil will also test God’s followers by tempting them to do the things that were once important to them; the devil tempts to bring out the worst in people. When God tests His followers, it is because He desires to bring out the best in them (David Jeremiah). Did you notice the difference?

“Here I am.” If you continue to read the Genesis account you will read no mention of Abraham challenging or arguing; he rose the next morning and took Isaac, wood for the burnt offering, and went to the place God directed him to. He trusted God! The greatest test was to give up the son he loved and had waited for so long!

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but Got is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Temptation becomes a routine part of a Believer’s life. The devil’s lies to tempt us to sin are strong as the Believer walks a narrow way; Jesus Himself told His disciples that the narrow way into His kingdom was a difficult way. As believers, we want to do the right thing all the time. We want to please God. Here is where each believer must do as Abraham – trust God!  His Word tells us, promises us that with every temptation there is the assurance to overcome it. Paul is writing that the temptation to sin is common to every Believer, and this is true for every believer throughout time. It is this common trait that makes the believer’s relationship to Jesus Christ one centered in trust and faith.

Finish reading about Abraham and Isaac and see that due to Abraham’s faith in God and His ability to deliver a sacrifice, God delivered the sacrificial lamb. God did not want Isaac to die, He wanted Abraham to submit to Him. God is still providing the lamb for His followers today. He loves each Believers and does not want them to fail! He helps each Believer by working to keep us from being tempted beyond our ability to resist the temptation. God gives the Holy Spirit to strengthen our ability to resist. Here is what the last page of the blog speaks of – each of us must look for a way to say no to the temptation. It is an “act of our will” to do that! When we look for a way to say no or run from sin, God will provide it. Yes, we can turn down God’s help and ignore the Holy Spirit’s leading. Is that not what sin is? It is the willful choice to do something other than God’s will!

Do you understand the importance of being with God, in His Word and in prayer each day in order to know what His will is? Be encouraged today to look to God when temptation comes. It will come! Be ready by staying ready to answer when God speaks to you. Be ready when those temptations come to look to God who is always ready to help you. He does love you and is always for you.