Sunday, in Sunday School, our lesson was on Abraham and Sarah. Personally this is one of my favorite stories. So many life lessons all mixed up in one story...it simply amazes me. You first have the story of the faith lived by Abraham. God said move...he moved! He followed HIM with undeniable faith! Sarah ~ well she seems to be a lot like your average person. God promised her a child...a son, at that, but yet she was too impatient waiting for HIM to provide her with a child....a child with Abraham. She took matters into her own hands and opted for her plan...plan B! God did provide them with a child but then Abraham was to sacrifice him. He did it! I mean, he took his son up on the hill to be an offering to God but yet told the men that was with them WE will be back. He had faith, that God was going to provide an animal to serve as the burnt offering. His faith amazes me.
How many of us would do the same thing? How many of us would go if God said to go but had no idea where we were going to? How many of us would be like Sarah and get too impatient with God and go with what WE think how life should go? How many of us would be so willing to sacrifice our child for God if that is what God asked? Would we have faith like Abraham and be willing to do that but have the faith that God would provide? What are some of your blessings in your life? Would you be willing to give those up if you were asked too? Sometimes we are asked to do something and we get the blessing later...are you too impatient in waiting to receive them?
While hearing this story on Sunday, it took me back to a couple places in my life. The first time was just a few weeks before Emily went into the hospital the first time in 2007. I read this as one of my devotions. It was just so moving to me and just added to the faith that I was going to be needing in the months/ years ahead! It also took me back to when Emily was in ICU. I remember one day sitting in her room and just watching her. It was a day when it was quiet ~ which, lets be honest...in ICU it was hardly ever quiet! With tears filling my eyes, I prayed. I said Lord, she is yours! We are just her earthly parents but she is yours. I am so willing to give her to you but not before she is saved.Emily wasn't saved yet...she hadn't asked Jesus in her heart at that time and I just couldn't even think of letting go of her when I knew her eternity wasn't with Jesus. The Lord has allowed us to raise her. We are nowhere near perfect parents but we are the perfect parents that God saw fit for her. That is a blessing. She was saved on May 9th last year and the feeling of knowing whatever happens to her...she will be resting in the Lords hands and arms forever! It may seem so easy for me to say this is what I prayed.
Now its easy to say i did that but to actually do it ~ that's a different story. To be willing to let God have all control over your child...if HE opts to take her home then or wait. Its hard, but I know that HE is in control of everything. He is in control of her life. He has blessed us so much with our kids. Because of how He has blessed us ~ I also have to be willing to obey Him...have faith in Him. I have to have faith that He will take care of things! Giving up control is NOT an easy thing. Giving up control of a situation that we have no choice in the matter is really not easy. When Emily was in ICU....I had no choice. God was in complete control over the situation...the good, the bad and the ugly! It was a hard month that month but what made all the "good, bad and ugly" worth it all....the morning she got the vent taken out and her first words were "Mommy". I will never forget that moment! I will never lose the faith that I had in God at that time and because of it ~ it has made my faith stronger.
Where does your faith lie today? If God said to move or to give up something, would you? Would you be willing to sacrifice one of your blessings? What an awesome God we serve!
