Nothing Too Precious

By faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, … accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19.
God had called Abraham to be the father of the faithful, and his life was to stand as an example of faith to succeeding generations. But his faith had not been perfect. He had shown distrust of God in concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, and again in his marriage with Hagar. That he might reach the highest standard, God subjected him to another test, the closest which man was ever called to endure.
The Lord spoke unto him, saying: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,” “and offer him … for a burnt offering.” The heart of the old man stood still with horror. The loss of such a son by disease would have been most heartrending to the fond father, it would have bowed his whitened head with sorrow; but now he is commanded to shed the precious blood of that son with his own hand. It seemed to him a fearful impossibility. Yet God had spoken, and His word must be obeyed. Abraham was stricken in years, but this did not excuse him from duty. He grasped the staff of faith and in dumb agony took by the hand his child, beautiful in the rosy health of youth, and went out to obey the word of God…. Abraham did not stop to question how God’s promises could be fulfilled if Isaac were slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart, but carried out the divine command to the very letter, till, just as the knife was about to be plunged into the quivering flesh of the child, the word came: “Lay not thine hand upon the lad;” “for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
This act of faith in Abraham is recorded for our benefit. It teaches the great lesson of confidence in the requirements of God, however close and cutting they may be; and it teaches children perfect submission to their parents and to God. By Abraham’s obedience we are taught that nothing is too precious for us to give to God.
Conflict and Courage p. 56
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray that God will give us wisdom in a decision we must make. R
—–Please pray that all goes well with my father-in-law’s treatments for bladder cancer and for an upcoming doctor’s appointment for me. LS
—–Please pray for Noah’s family as they grieve his loss. Also that God will help my husband to get a good paying job and that we will get a house in the country to live. E
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Dear Friends,
When Eileen was five, we moved to southern Alabama as Ron had been accepted at a college there. Alabama was the third state we had lived in and we found that in each place there were adjustments to make as things are very different in different areas of the country. Some of the adjustments were cultural; some were geographical.
As we walked in the yard of the house we had rented, we noticed that there was a large colony of ants. Since ants are everywhere, we didn’t think too much about it. The ants’ mound was much larger than any we had seen, but I thought that perhaps it was just a different variety of ant. It was a different variety alright. We soon learned just how different.
One day Eileen got too close to that anthill. Instantly, that anthill looked like it was boiling with ants. Quickly, I got Eileen away from their nest, but still a few ants bit her. At that moment, a car that had been driving by stopped. The woman inside had seen Eileen step on the fire ant’s mound and knew she was in trouble even though I had rushed to her side. The lady called me over to her car, explained about fire ants, and gave me some medicine that takes away the pain from their bites fairly well. How thankful I was that God had sent someone to help us!
If people in that car had come by a little earlier or a little later, they would not have seen the problem we were having. God, in His mercy, worked out all the details so they drove by at just the right time. Moreover, He put it in that woman’s heart to help us. God is so good!
Just as that lady took the time to help us understand something important that we had not known before, so when we see someone who has been bitten by the “fire ants” of the enemy, do we take time to explain about the Remedy? Jesus says, “Go ye therefore, …Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matt 28:19,20 Do we heed the call? How often our Loving Guide places within our path someone who needs to learn of Him. How many times He works circumstances so we are in the right place at the right time so He can work through us. Yet, are we willing to help or do we go on with our own plans, all wrapped up in our own little world?
Many times, we think that we have to go to a foreign country to work for Jesus and fail to see the witnessing opportunities all around us. It takes time and effort to help someone else on the path to Heaven, but it is worth it. We are promised, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Ps 126:5, 6 Jesus promises to give us the Holy Spirit that our witnessing may not be in vain. He says, “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?, Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:9-13 There are many ways to share our faith that God will show us if we ask will Him. One person I know works on his Scripture memory cards as he is standing in checkout line at the store. This often will start a conversation that leads to the sharing some gem from God’s Word. Another person witnesses while getting a haircut. Eileen witnesses to repairmen who come to our house. Brian witnessed to the tow truck driver Wednesday night when they were stranded and had to be towed fifty miles.
Let us ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to know what to say and when to say it. Let us focus on the task before us to bring the Good News of Salvation to all mankind. Let us be diligent in bringing those around us to the foot of the cross that someday soon they may stand with us on that sea of glass and receive a glorious crown from Jesus’ own nail-scarred hand.
Rose