What do I bring into this day?
In the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, we must ask why did that have to happen? Was that some cruel, diabolical plan of a deranged God? God, after 100 years, gives Abraham a son he has asked for only to tell him he now needs to sacrifice him? Or was this Abraham’s doing? How can it be Abraham’s doing one might ask? You first must ask what God was trying to accomplish by such a harsh test.
What is God after in all of us? God’s only desire from us is that we give Him our heart. Whatever competes in our heart against God, He will seek to remove. In the story, Abraham replaced God with Isaac. Abraham began worshiping the gift rather than the giver. Prior to the birth of Isaac, Abraham was dependent on God. However, after receiving Isaac, Abraham, though very grateful for Isaac, began focusing his attention on his son and away from God. What’s the big deal?
God had great plans for Abraham. He was going to build an entire nation under him, as many as the stars in the sky or particles of sand on a sea shore. God has said from the very beginning, that we are to have no other gods before Him. God knew what He had to do to restore Abraham’s heart back into a right relationship with him. So the question stands. Why such a harsh test?
I propose that Abraham brought this upon himself the minute he replaced God with Isaac. We ask God to be the center of our life, or we sing, “my soul’s desire is to worship you”. Then God is left with no other choice but to perform surgery and remove that which is attached to our hearts that has replaced God. When we talk about heart surgery, it is a very intricate and painful process.
God has always provided the things in life we require and would want. From creation, whereby everything created was for our benefit and His glory, to creating mankind and companionship to meet our emotional and physical needs. But God never intended that any of those things were to replace Him on the throne of our worship.
Can we avoid trials such as Abraham’s? Yes, if we seek to empty ourselves of anything that has taken up even the smallest residency of our heart. If our heart is pure, then there would be no need for surgery now, would there? On the other hand, the more we become attached to that which has attached itself to our hearts, the more severe the surgery will have to be.
What can I bring each day to God? Nothing. It’s more of what can I leave behind.
Just a Thought…
