Abraham had faith that God would
provide. Provisional faith. Too often in our walks we practice conditional
faith. We say we will believe if this happens. We will have faith if that
happens. God does not want that type of faithlessness. He wants a faith that is
based on a total reliance upon who God is not who we think we are. The kind of
faith that allowed a teenage shepherd boy to believe he could defeat a nine
foot giant with a slingshot. The type of faith that allowed three Hebrew boys
to believe they could survive the fiery furnace. Did David think he was better
than the giant? No! He knew that God would provide just as he had provided for
him when he faced the lion and the bear. Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
believe that they would be able to bear the heat of the furnace because of
their own strength? No! They knew they served a God who would provide for them.
Provisional faith. Demonstrated first by father Abraham.
This is what we should be pursuing
in our walks beloved. We should be pursuing the blind obedience of Abraham. The
kind of obedience that recognizes the sovereign authority of Scripture and does
not compromise it with the logic of this world or the shifting sands of our
feelings. The kind of obedience that understands if God said it, that is good
enough for me. It doesn't matter what the world says. It doesn't matter what my
friends say. It doesn't matter what traditions say. I am going to obey what God
says! We should be pursuing the provisional faith of Abraham. The kind of faith
that does not look at the things of God through the lenses of the world. The
kind of faith that is willing to sacrifice that which we hold most dear because
we know God is going to provide exactly what we need in this life. The kind of
faith that does not care how big the giant is that we are facing or how hot the
fires of testing appear to be -- God will provide.
Finally realize that these are
intimately connected. The more obedient we are to Scripture the more we will
see God move in our lives and thus the more our faith will be strengthened.
That is the inheritance we can expect. Forget chasing after the blessing of
Abraham -- you already have eternal life! Instead, chase after the blind
obedience and provisional faith of Abraham and see where God will take you!
Reverend
