'Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham…' (Gen 22:1)
After these things - the fulfillment of the promise, the blessings of provision, protection and abundance…these were the things that Abraham had experienced and now 'after these things' God tested Abraham. And the test was Abraham's obedience to offer up the 'promise' as a sacrifice - to trust God in what He was doing in Abraham's life even though it appeared, at least in the flesh, to be defeating and destroying the fulfillment of the promise.
I think about what is going on in my life and how I have been so abundantly blessed, how we have had provision beyond our needs, how my career path had prospered, how the hand of God had directed my steps. So, is it now time, as it was with Abraham, that ‘after these things God tested’? And what is my specific promise from God that I must lay down before Him in obedience? Is it how He has prospered me? Might it be the promise of wisdom and knowledge that I must offer as a sacrifice? Must I lay down all of my plans and thoughts of where I want to be and wait for Him to show me the path that He has for me at this time in my life?
Being faithful, trusting completely and waiting patiently are difficult places to be when you don't know what the path ahead looks like – and yet Abraham believed!
With all of my planning and seeking to pave the path of my future with a smooth 'finish' I find that I am now way off of the path that I had charted in my mind – and it looks like that path has come to a complete end.
Lord, must I completely die to my plan, my path?
Where to now Lord?
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