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"Sacrificing Isaac"
by Karin Paparelli
After years of awaiting the promised son, Sarah gave birth
to Isaac. The promise of God to Abraham was fulfilled. However several
years later the Lord spoke to Abraham and told him to sacrifice his miracle
child. Can't you just imagine how heavy hearted and bewildered Abraham
might have been felt by such a request. Yet Abraham obeyed. He laid his
precious son on the altar thoroughly prepared to sacrifice him. And just
as the knife was about to come down an angel of the Lord appeared. The
sacrifice was revealed in the thicket. The ram was slain and Isaac spared.
So what was that all about? If the ram was meant to be the sacrifice why
did Abraham have to suffer so? Didn't the Lord (who knows everything)
know that Abraham would be faithful? Yes, I believe He did, but Abraham
would have never known the depth of the love he had for God without such
a test. That is what these kinds of tests do. They don't reveal anything
to the Lord about us, rather they are used to reveal to us our true nature
and character.
The question I've heard repeatedly as I've walked with the Lord has been
"Do you love me? If you had to choose between this or me which would it
be?" The tests for me have ranged from seemingly small and insignificant
to utterly life changing. Still each time the question is the same, "Am
I really as sold out to the Lord as I claim to be?" I'll be honest I've
had to face some difficult choices. Sometimes I've had to suffer loss,
and at other times there was a ram in the thicket for me too.
I've seen something writhe it's way into the body of Christ in America.
It is called compromise. Compromise lowers the standard of Christ to accommodate
our worldly desires. I believe the standard of Christ needs to be raised,
not lowered. There should be a vast difference between the church and
the world. We should be recognizably different.
Living without compromise doesn't come easy. Some decisions will cost
you everything. Didn't Jesus say that if you put your hand to the plow
and looked back you were unfit for the Kingdom of God? What do you think
he meant by that? We will always be tempted by the desires of this life,
by the desires of our own sinful nature. Who will win? Will Christ be
first? What if it meant losing your lifestyle? How about losing your friends
or even family? What about losing your life? Are you willing?
Compromising means settling for something less. That is what a compromise
is. Its literal definition is " a middle course". What we would call meeting
in the middle. That is fine if you are arguing with your spouse but there
are some things that we should never compromise. There is but one gospel,
one baptism, one Lord, one King. There is only one road that leads to
eternal life, faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God. We, the church, don't
need to compromise the truth to be relevant. God is always relevant. Trust
the Word. He will not fail you. It is true that sometimes we fall into
deception, and sometimes we even sin, for there is not one who is righteous.
But please do not be deceived in this, we make choices everyday. Choices
that bring us closer to the Savior or push us further away. I don't know
what they are in your life, we each have our own lives to examine. From
time to time you will be called to make a decision that will be hard,
maybe even painful. Chances are you won't understand why at the time.
Will you trust Him anyway? Are you willing to sacrifice your Isaac on
His altar? Your Isaac can be anything you hold dear. It may even be something
the Lord has promised you. The Word of God says that as we lean not on
our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge God then He will
make our paths straight. You must acknowledge Him in all your ways if
He is to make your paths straight.
Speaking of paths, a friend had a vision one night which began on an interstate
highway. There were many cars in many lanes. She traveled with her husband
and as they did they chose to turn off onto a smaller highway with less
traffic and fewer lanes. That highway became a two lane country road and
then a single lane back road. This became a dirt road. Finally they had
to get out of the car because the road had become too narrow. What lay
ahead of them was a bicycle path with just a line of dirt between blades
of grass. As they traveled this road on foot there were snakes present
making their travel even more dangerous.
What an accurate depiction of our journey as Christians. We begin our
journey on a large interstate; the super- highway of self. There are many
travelers that journey with us but along the way we make choices. Choices
to follow Jesus. Choices to deny self. Those choices which strengthen
our faith and commitment lead us to a smaller road, and then smaller and
smaller and so on. Then there comes a time when we must choose to leave
the safety of our car and travel on foot. Although we may travel with
others; spouses, friends. We must walk this out on our own two feet. The
way is treacherous with hidden traps and many dangers yet we travel on.
We have left the crowds of the super-highway, we have left the comfort
of our cars, all to follow the one who bids us, believing the price is
never too great to pay. This is the journey we are each called to. Each
decision we make determines our steps. Will we let the Master lead us
to the road He has prepared? Or will we follow the super highway of self?
The choice is yours my friend. "Enter through the narrow gate. For
wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and
many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that
leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)
May you walk in His grace. Thy kingdom come!
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