Our adult children have pets that are their “babies” and much loved. They also have collections of things they enjoy. Maybe more than thirty relocations is the reason I don’t have pets or collections, but that is not quite true. As a quilter, I ‘collect’ fabric (called a stash) and am also an ‘information gatherer’ to the point that my PC hard drive is loaded with pictures and documents. To simplify my life, I’m realizing the difficulty of purging my ‘collection’ of files. The fabric is easy as I can make more quilts, but the information is not as easy to sacrifice.
Abraham had a tougher time of it. His faith was strong in God’s promises. However, all of them involved his son Isaac. Even though “he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6) God tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1–2)
That was a far greater challenge than giving away a mug collection, or purging familiar and often beloved files, or saying goodbye to pets. What did this man of faith do?
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:3–8)
The NT describes it this way:
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Hebrews 11:17–19)
We know the sad stories of hoarders. One keeps empty boxes, and his house is filled. He says someone might need them someday. Another keeps everything because she loves her stuff. I keep my ‘info’ because I might need it someday? But why then bother with Google? MacArthur says that a willingness to sacrifice precious things is proof of genuine faith. If I needed something, would not God provide it?
Abraham passed the test: he was willing to make the sacrifice. He did as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
God asks for far more than collections, far more than even our sons and daughters. He says:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)
He wants my life, not just my stuff but all that I rely on. When need to know something or find direction; God does not even need Google to supply it. While I may need to keep my family’s favorite recipes because I tend to forget, I don’t need every recipe ever written because God answers prayer for even that need — when it arises. I could write this proverb like this:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your collection of information, but In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will supply whatever you need. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
PRAY: Jesus, this is another answer to prayer. My faith should not be in my ability to find information and file it, but trusting You to give me what I need when it is needed. This may seem an insignificant sacrifice to others, but for me, it is as challenging as if You told me to put all my books in a bonfire. I want to simplify my life and plainly You are in agreement with that.
PONDER: Deuteronomy 28 lists the blessings of trusting God. Read it again and realize I do not need anything or anyone else to rely on when needs pop up. God is enough.
