An Exercise in Trust

Scripture: 1 John, Chapter 1 : 5, Genesis Chapter 22

Sometimes we cry to God for help and help can only come through surrender. Surrender, sometimes of the thing we hold most near and dear to us.  Most times, if it’s something we really cherish, we would be unwilling to let go of what God is asking us to, in order for Him to work and give us that other thing we’re asking for. 

Our hands may be full, but we are still unwilling to allow God to take away some of that weight, even if for a time, to allow us, to get to where we’re going.

One of the most extreme examples of letting go, obedience, sacrifice and trust is that of Abraham and Isaac. Read Genesis Chapter 22.  God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on an alter to Him. The problem is that God had promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations and this Isaac was his only son. How was this promise going to be fulfilled if Isaac is dead? In verse two, we get a glimpse of how close Issac was to his father’s heart. God says “take Isaac your son, your only son, who you love”. This wasn’t an easy ask. It’s not like God asked Abraham to give up meat for fourteen days. He was asking for the very thing that Abraham longed for his entire life – remember he had Isaac at and old age ( Gen 21:5).

This same level of surrender and trust is also required of us. For sure God has never requested anyone reading this to sacrifice their child to him (in the same manner he asked Abraham to). He has however, asked us to surrender our time, our bodies, our abilities, our emotions, our will, our entire lives to His use and glory. Yet, we fail to completely trust that the same God who gave us the promise at the beginning will fulfill it.

Consider this simpler example. Imagine someone walking out from a store with their hands full of heavy bags. Someone approaches to offer assistance and that person says, "no, thank you, I’m ok”. Clearly, they are struggling with the weight of the bags, perhaps their car is in another section of the parking lot, no where close to the entrance, but yet they refuse help. There may be a number of reasons why, but probably the most significant reason, is that they don’t know this person and they are concerned that if I hand over my bags to this stranger, to “assist” me, they may take off with them or perhaps something much more sinister is in their thoughts. The point of the matter is that they do not know this person, so, how can they trust them.

This is where we fail with God. If you don’t trust him, it’s because you don’t know Him. To know God is to know that in him is light and no darkness ( I John 1:5). To know Him is to know that He is love, ( 1 John 4: 7-8). To know Him is to know that even if He requires us to sacrifice the very thing we love, our only son, that His plan for us is bigger than His ask of us.

To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22, Philippians 2:8). We cannot obey when we do not trust. We cannot trust when we do not know. Know God.