This morning I continue our series entitled, “Standing on a Word from God.” This is Part 17. We have been looking at the life of Abraham for weeks. For the past couple of days we have been looking at at passage in Genesis 22. I want to go back to it today. The Bible says:
After these things God decided to test Abraham’s faith. God said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Yes!” Then God said, “Take your son to the land of Moriah and kill your son there as a sacrifice for me. This must be Isaac, your only son, the one you love. Use him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains there. I will tell you which mountain.” In the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took Isaac and two servants with him. He cut the wood for the sacrifice. Then they went to the place where God told them to go. After they traveled three days, Abraham looked up, and in the distance he saw the place where they were going. Then he said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go to that place and worship. Then we will come back to you later.” (Gen 22:1-5 ERV)
So what does this mean to you today? I will share a few things about living by faith, all centered around the fact that you should walk with the “light” God has given you.
- David taught us that God’s Word (His instruction) is a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path (Psalm 119:105). He said this before electricity, street lights, headlamps, or flashlights. In David’s day most evening light came from the stars or candles. Traveling at night through the desert is dangerous, especially when you can’t see where you are going. So back then they used ankle lamps. Ankle lamps were basically leather straps with a holding device for a candle and something to protect the flame. The user would tie them around their ankles (on the outside), light them, and attempt to journey into the evening. These small candles could not light the entire path, but they could provide enough light for you to TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP. Picture this. You take one step with your right foot. As you look down, the candle shines enough light for you to safely take one more step. When you get your left foot down, the candle shines enough light for you to safely take one more step. You repeat this process over and over until you arrive at your destination. You could not see down the road, but you could see enough to take one more step. The point is that walking by faith does not mean you will have all the answers or that you will know what is coming around the corner, but God will always give you enough light to properly take YOUR NEXT STEP. Once you get there, He will give you enough light for the next step and so on. This is the life of faith.
- When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering on one of the mountain tops in the land of Moriah, he did not know what was going to happen on the mountain. But since God specifically said, “burnt offering,” Abraham got his son and his servants together and he made sure they got the wood they would need for the sacrifice. This is a very important point. Later we find out that he did not need the wood. The Lord would not require him to burn the boy. But Abraham did not know that. He was faithful over what God said. He made decisions based on the small amount of “light” God had provided and he trusted God for the rest. This is how we are supposed to live. You may not know how the project is going to turn out. You may not know all the challenges you will have to face and overcome. God may not have revealed to you the levels and stages you will have to endure. But you can’t control that. All you can do is GO with the information/revelation God has provided. God said “burnt offering,” so Abraham got the wood together. This is how we are supposed to live.
- God did not tell Abraham which mountain top he was supposed to sacrifice the boy on. All God said was “the land of Moriah.” So what did Abraham do? He set out to the land of Moriah. It took him three days to get there. For three days he and his team had to travel to a general region, knowing that he did not really know exactly where he was going. Nor did he know exactly what he was going to do when he got there. But that did not stop Abraham. He launched out with the little bit of “light” God provided and when he got to the land of Moriah, God revealed to him which mountain top was the right one. This is how we are supposed to live.
- As you lead your family and attempt to live by faith, there are going to be times when the entire family is following your lead, as you are attempting to be led of God. Be honest with your family. Teach them how to live by faith. Explain to them that God does not always give us all the answers and He certainly does not give us all the details. Tell them what God has revealed and what He has yet to reveal. Explain to them that you are launching out, in faith, with the little “light” God has provided, and that God will reveal Himself along the way. This way you get to teach them how to live by faith, and as parents, this is our responsibility.
- Walking with God is not always easy. There are many things that will be a mystery to you until you make it to heaven. God does not have to EXPLAIN Himself to you. But while God is not obligated to EXPLAIN Himself, He will REVEAL Himself. He will give you the “light” you need in order to take the next step in your life; a step that will take you incrementally closer to His overall expected end for you. Take that step in faith, fully believing that once you do, He will reveal to you what you need to do next. This is the life of faith and it is how we are called and commanded to live!
We will stop here for today.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. I expect You to reveal to me the LIGHT I need in order to take the next step. I am not asking You to explain Yourself. But I am asking You to reveal Yourself. I stand on Your Word and declare that the eyes of my understanding will be enlightened. You will flood my spirit with light, so I can know the hope of my calling, and I so I can walk down the path You have called me to take. I may not know what is around the corner, but You will always give me enough LIGHT to be able to maximize the season and stage I am in. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
