“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” —Hebrews 11:17-19
Trust is one of the strongest acts between human beings. Trust is built over time, but can be destroyed in a moment. Trust is not given freely, but it is cherished by those who hold it. Trust is the act of knowing someone will not disappoint you when you ask them to do something, tell them a close secret, or seek their help.
While trust between human beings is sacred, trust between God and His children is even more special. Think about the following poem written regarding our trusting God:
Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all.
Trust Him, He is ever faithful,
Trust Him, for his will is best,
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
Is the only place of rest.
Sometimes we apply our human view of trust to God. We are wary about His promises and his ability to provide for us, yet God invites us to prove Him by trusting Him (Malachi 3:10).
Abraham trusted God to provide a son as He had promised, and God provided Isaac. When Isaac was a boy, God required Abraham’s faith again. Hebrews 11 shows us that Abraham trusted God, even as God asked him to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham may have had doubts and no doubt was pained, yet he trusted God would provide.
Imagine being in Abraham’s spot. God had promised a son, and though you struggled with that promise earlier in life, God had provided Isaac, your only child whom you loved dearly. Now, God was requiring you to kill your only son, knowing you and your wife are old. How would you react? Would you have trusted God?
Often, not until we are faced with a difficult situation can we know how we will react. God uses difficult times to prove our trust in Him, and during those times we have the opportunity to prove God’s faithfulness.
Never forget that the God who asks for your trust is the same God who proved to Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, and Paul that He is faithful and worthy of trust. If Abraham could trust God enough to offer his own son, you can trust God in any situation you face.
Remember, God is worthy of your trust, and He has proved time and again in His Word that He never fails. Don’t be afraid to trust Him today.(By Paul Chappell)
