Trusting God

Trusting God

Reading: Isaiah 32-35; James 2 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did – by his actions. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. (James 2:21-23 NLT) Abraham’s story is the story of a man who believed and trusted God. He is the “Father of those who believe.” Within his larger story is the account of his willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac – a thing that cried out against reason and reasonableness – to God. The story is told without any detail about how Abraham felt, about the heart-agony he felt, about his fears, his struggle. We’re free to read whatever we want into that part of the story. The bottom line is this, He trusted God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do.

I am a God-believer. I am a God-truster. The scariest yet ultimately most rewarding episodes in my story have to do with trusting God so much that I was willing to do whatever he told me to do: Trusting God enough to leave my business to serve in full-time ministry. Trusting God enough to leave my home in the USA and take my family to live and serve in other countries for nearly two decades. Trusting God enough to start Bible Training Centres and train and encourage pastors. Trusting God enough to come back to the USA and “start over” at almost 60 years of age! The last chapter of my story hasn’t been written yet. God knows that story, but I don’t – yet! I want that final chapter to say of me, “He trusted God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do.” Friends, like Father Abraham, let’s be people who “trust God so much that we are willing to do whatever God tells us to do!” Prayer:

Father, I believe you and I trust you. Please don’t let me drift back to a level of living where I’m not trusting you enough to do whatever you tell me to do. Please be gentle with me, but please be firm and clear. May I be a “God-truster” and an encourager of other “whatever you tell us to do” God-trusters! Amen.