Commitment to Trial

Genesis 22:1-14

Teachers give written and oral exams so that they can discover what students
have learned. God designs spiritual tests for us, but for a different
reason.
His purpose is not to acquire knowledge; He already knows all about us. His
tests are designed to help us learn about ourselves, discover new truths
about
Him, and grow spiritually.

Our commitment to the lordship of Christ is one area in which God will
always test us. Will we stand firm when our path is full of obstacles? Will
we trust
the Lord and depend on Him when life treats us roughly? We need not fear the
testing times because our loving Father has promised to set limits on the
trials (1 Corinthians 10:13), to walk through them with us (Matthew 28:20b),
and to make them beneficial for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

One of God's tests for Abraham was the command to offer his son Isaac as a
sacrifice. God never intended for Isaac to be killed; that would have
violated
His divine nature. As the Lord had planned, the trial revealed Abraham's
firm commitment to the heavenly Father. It also demonstrated the depth of
God's
sufficiency and faithfulness to His followers, thereby causing the patriarch
's faith to grow. Painful though this testing must have been, it was
necessary
in order to mature Abraham into the man God designed him to become.

Christians vary greatly in their commitment to the lordship of Christ. What
has a recent difficulty in your life revealed about your dedication? Ask God
to use the problems you face to deepen your devotion to Him and to make you
more like Jesus.


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