March 2 – Faith journey

“Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you” - Genesis 12:1

I got to thinking about Abraham, and the incredible example of faith in action he left behind, for us, for our example. Called by God, Abraham left the land of Ur and embarked on the roller-coaster of a life of faith. As Genesis 12:1 demanded, he left the land of his birth, his relatives, grandparents, cousins – everyone, and was led by the Lord on a journey of a life-time – a journey of faith.

All the way he put his trust in God....then, the climax came when God asked Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, up into the mountains and offer him up as a sacrifice. You know the story. Isaac, unquestioning, carried the wood he was to be strapped to on a makeshift, rocky altar on the hillside. Asking his father “where is the lamb, the burnt offering, for sacrifice?” Abraham replied that the Lord would provide.

Raising his arm with the knife in his hand he was ready to bury it deep into his son's body. “Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns”- Genesis 22:10-13.

Abraham's faith was unconditional....and the Lord provided.

Though we can't – and wouldn't want to, claim that the Lord has asked any-one of us to prove our faith and trust in Him in by sacrificing any of our children, yet, we do arrive at similar dramatic moments in our lives when our unconditional faith is severely tested.

Like Abraham, we reach a point in our lives when we must trust God without the benefit of knowing all the details. We are challenged – our faith is challenged. Human logic cries out, “Why God, why are you leading me this way!” We are challenged to turn to God and seek His provision, believing that He really does provide.
Well over 2,000 years ago, Homer, in his classic tale The Odyssey, wrote: “The journey is the thing”, and we are blessed, we are not making the journey alone!

Bryn sent me a lovely song - “My Life is in Your Hand” LIVE – lyrics by Kathy Troccoli. Click on the picture to listen.