God's Trial: Genesis 22:1-3

God’s trials are designed to teach us about our faith within.  When we are challenged, we learn who we are.  Under the application of stress, we grow.  Anyone can live when life is easy; it is challenge that evokes more interesting things.

God comes to Abraham.  Abraham replies, “Here I am!”  Abraham is ready.  God doesn’t always come at convenient moments, but sometimes He does.  In this instance, His timing lines up with Abraham’s readiness.

God tells Abraham to pack up his son, go to a mountain, and offer Isaac as a sacrifice.  Imagine Abraham’s first response to God’s request.  Imagine God coming and asking any parent to offer up their child as a sacrifice.

There’s more to this story than the context clues give.  Abraham had waited around twenty-five years for God’s promise.  We don’t know how old Isaac is here, but he’s no small child.  Since he carries the wood needed for the sacrifice on his own, he’s probably into his teens.  Abraham had plenty of time to pour into him, teach him, shape him, and grow close to him.  Abraham had years to see Isaac as the fulfillment of God’s promise.

It isn’t like Isaac is born and God comes to take him.  Isaac is almost a young man.  Relationship between Abraham and his son blossomed in the arid land around Beersheba.  Abraham can trust God.  Isaac is the boy God sent to Abraham; if God can be trusted in the past, God can be trusted in the present.

This is a great time to talk about temptations, problems, and trials.  People often use the words interchangeably.  They are all real, but they originate differently.

Temptations reside within.  Everyone on the planet faces temptations because we all have cravings we find hard to resist.  Temptations, though, are the resulting internal battle regarding an internal desire.  None of us escape the battle against temptation, although we may each have differing sources of temptation.  Temptations require an internal resolution.

Problems come from the world.  Problems exist because we live among other people.  As we meet, talk, and acquire resources we make demands on each other.  Problems, therefore, are external.  Problems may create internal stress, but they come from the outside and always require an external resolution.

Trials come from God.  Trials come when God asks us to do something or behave a certain way.  Trials force the obedience issue and as such are often uniquely tailored to the individual.  Trials evoke an internal conflict resolved only when we decide to obey or rebel.  Trials are external to us and require both an internal response and an external action.

When Abraham hears the voice of God, he enters a trial.  Abraham is forced to choose to obey or rebel.  In this case, Abraham doesn’t hesitate.  Abraham hears God’s trial and immediately responds out of faith.  Abraham is strong in the Lord at this moment.  God’s trials are designed to teach us about our faith within.