Our freedom gives us the ability to celebrate it's glorious occurrence each year and each day. In addition, our freedom to live a life of glory each day is because of Christ. I find myself in awe EVERY day of how God sent His only son on earth to die so that I can be set free from the sins I have and will commit. It's a little tangent but I imagine the conflict Abraham dealt with in Genesis. Think about this:
In Genesis 22 Abraham was willing (v 3-6) to sacrifice his son who was promised to him, by God, to be the start of the family line of the messiah. When God called Abraham Abraham said "Here I am". That reads with such force and will of your life to trust God's every call. Abraham's response showed his reverence for Him and he took God's directions and followed them to a "T". He saddled the donkey, cut the wood with his servants, traveled 60 miles on foot to Moriah, and brought his one and only son with him to be the sacrifice. Take a deeper look (reading between the lines) and imagine the turmoil of the heart Abraham was likely wrestling. God promised that his one and only son after years of waiting would be the father of fathers of fathers to the messiah. And an only son! I can't imagine the thoughts he had when saddling the donkey and cutting the wood with the servants. Thoughts that likely brought him to tears along the 3 day journey.
This can seem necessary and faithful when looking hindsight but put your child in the story. That means go in the woods and cut down a lot of wood. Pack it in the back of your car with a cooler and books on tape to listen to for the long 3 day journey to California. It will be just you and your son or daughter going with you. While you are preparing for this your first born son or daughter is helping you with all the necessary tasks and is very willing to take a trip with mom or dad. You mention you want to worship God when you get there and want to build an altar for Him when you get there. He or she is so excited to help mom or dad in this adventure. When you get to your destination you build the altar with you son or daughter and they ask you "Mommy(Daddy), where is the sacrifice?" You say "God will provide us the lamb" As you say this waterfalls and body jolting tears are held back because you know what God has asked you to do. Then comes the time where you have to physically tie up your child and place them on the alter. Could you imagine? Could you imagine the look of their face and seeing their eyes? Could you imagine the shaking of your hands? Could you imagine the struggle they may give you? And then the knife. You pull out a knife and hold it above the body of your precious first born. "OH MY GOD, WHY ME?" would be a prayer at the top of your lungs with tears drenching your shirt and hands shaking so vigorously that you can barely hold the knife. You know the story of the angel bring the ram caught in the bush but what if that wasn't the case? What if God really did ask you to drive that knife into the chest of your son? It is vulgar but that was what Abraham was ready to do. Are you?
Abraham was so free in the presence/connection/relationship with God that he was willing to give his promised son up for God.
Thoughts? Additions?
No comments:
Post a Comment