Testing….

I hated school. Let’s get that out of the way. I loved learning, but school sucked. I don’t know if it was the waking up, or the long days, or the fact that they wouldn’t go at my pace, which tended to be faster than theirs.

Maybe it was the tests? Why do I have to have all these tests? We learned it, did homework over the subject, then redid it all because the girl behind me wouldn’t stop asking questions. Ugh

We know the plan- learn, practice, test. We did this over and over….and over.

But did you know that’s not the way God operates? We are called to walk by faith, which means we have to put our trust into what God says without any full understanding of what’s happening. It also means God’s learning system is different.

God called Abraham and said, “Abraham I want you to go take your son to a mountain I will show you, and I want you to offer him up as a sacrifice to me on that mountain.” This is the Darren Ricketts paraphrase.

The Bible says Abraham got up early, and he and his servant and his son walked until God spoke to Abraham showing him Mt. Moriah (which not coincidentally would be the place of the crucifixion later) Abraham told the servant to wait at the foot of the mountain, and “We will return to you.” He said WE even though he knew he was supposed to kill Isaac.

But something strange happened, Isaac did not get sacrificed. No, when Abraham raised the knife to cut his throat (the proper way to sacrifice) God stopped him?

What’s the point of that? God tests before the lesson.

When Israel was wandering in the desert, the often came into a situation that was out of their control, be it hunger, thirst, or a Red Sea. God wanted to see if they would trust him. God offers up our tests in the beginning to prove you trust him.

Going through things is difficult, and the immature hate it. But if we learn through those struggles we will realize that after every struggle or test we go through as a Christian, we are so much closer to him IF WE TURN TO HIM in the struggle. Abraham knew God would either stop him, or bring Isaac back from the dead, but was willing to go through it because he had learned to trust YHWH.

YHWH wants what is best for us, and the things he asks us to do are for his glory, but also for our reward and eternal positioning. But he doesn’t give us the lesson and then test us, He tests us, then if we pass, we get the lesson.

The kingdom of God works by faith…if you knew the test was coming, you’d study…but the test is coming…so be ready.