Trust (Gen 22-24)

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Genesis 22:6-8


Trust is a difficult action in our world today. Corporate debacles and outrageous bonuses to the heads of failing companies have crumbled confidence in a completely free-market. The character faults of religious leaders tarnish the reputation of Christianity in america.  It seems that, political scandals involving internet ads, interns, or illegitimate children are increase weekly. Even when we buy a product we must inspect the fine print on the warranty or payment plan. I look around and there are very few trust-worthy things, or people. I can't help but ask... "who can I trust." I'm not sure we understand how to trust anymore.


Abraham trusted God. The scriptures say that his trust is the substance which God counted as "righteousness." As we read his story we can see that it wasn't his actions themselves. He spent his life learning the pattern of trust that lead up to the climax of his spiritual journey. God asks for his promised son as a burnt offering. Abraham didn't know what would happen, he only know that God had promised to bless him and raise a nation from him. That walk up the mountain must have been painfully quiet. I imagine Isaac's question like thunder in Abraham's heart. "God will Provide." YHWH Yireh, the same term in Hebrew, is what Abraham would come to name the place where they worshipped. God provides... 


Trust is the bottom line of Christianity. When Jesus invites people to believe in him, to have faith in him, in the New Testament, what he is literally saying in Greek is "put your full weight on me." He is inviting us to trust that he will hold us up. I believe that this trust will get us through the failure of systems and leaders, through the loss of jobs or loved ones,  through times when it is impossible to see the outcome of seemingly impossible situations. God will provide... He always does. What has God asked you to lay on the alter?  May we, like Abraham, learn to live out the patterns of trust in the small things, so that we are ready for the greater.


In Jesus' Name
Amen
  

Perspective Part 2 (Job 38-42)

Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:1-6


When God speaks clearly into our lives it is almost like a veil is lifted and what we couldn't quite understand or grasp becomes abundantly clear. This clarity might not even be related to our original question or complaint. It may simply show us that what we had originally been concerned with is, on the big picture, a very brief blip on the screen of life. Or, God may show us a glimpse of his priority list and we may discover that our #1 is really more like a #8 are #9. 


God shows up for Job in a storm and questions him. Its interesting to me that God make no case for himself, does not answer Job's complaints, and offers no words of consolation. He simply asks questions like...


“Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?" 
Job 40:8-9


Job held strong and refused to give up on God, proving that man does not just worship God for the sake of blessing. God gave Job perspective on himself and the world around him. God also didn't leave Job to his circumstances. At the end of the book God rebukes Job's friends and restores Job's name, gives him twice the wealth he had before, and grants him seven sons and three daughters. 


I haven't posted in a couple days as my family has been working through a problem of our own and I found my self unable to make sense of what I was reading in Job. That is until yesterday afternoon. Though I don't yet have an answer for the problem at hand, I now have a renewed perspective. I have come to believe strongly that leaning in toward our fears and worries, authentically offering them up to God as a cry of trust will yield a renewed perspective and hope. God will not leave us to our circumstances but, bringing us through the storm, he will shape us and teach us to be more like him in his character.


In Jesus' Name
Amen