The Lord is the Master Conductor. He recently used a sermon about releasing the Holy Spirit and a Bible study the younger two boys are doing to once again open my eyes to truth. Last fall I wrote a post about holding everything in an open hand. The Lord took that lesson to a deeper level.
The boys were doing an indepth study on Hebrews 11, the well-known "Hall of Faith." I joined along and did my own study. As I dug deeper and sought personal application, Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac grabbed my heart. Hebrews 11:17-19 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promise 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."
Reread those verses slowly. The LORD had promised Abraham this son, he had waited 25 years for him! Through Isaac was going to come the Deliverer as well as many other descendants. This child was literally Abraham's hopes and dreams, but also the LORD's promise. We know that the LORD provided a ram in the thicket. But according to the verses in Hebrews, Abraham wasn't believing God to give him a ram in the thicket, a way to escape having to offer up his precious son. Abraham believed that though he was going to have to slay his beloved son, God would raise Isaac up from the dead to keep His word, His promise. That is incredible faith!!!
It is a Letting-Go kind of faith. Abraham let go of the promise God had given him in faith that the LORD would resurrect it in His way at His time. What went on in his heart? What words did he pray? No conversation at the altar is recorded between Isaac and Abraham. Did Isaac understand? Had Abraham explained to him before that he was a promise and through him would come a promise? I am sure this whole thing was an emotional ordeal. Yet Abraham believed that God had power over death. He could let go that which was most precious to him and the LORD would resurrect it.
Abraham had an inspiring Letting-go-kind-of-faith. Too often we have a clinging-controling-whiney faith. Our inner brat stamps it feet and says, "You promised, GOD, and it should be this way at this time" and our fingerprints are all over what is God's alone.
In my pastor's sermon about Releasing the Spirit, he said, "The Spirit won't touch what you are touching. You must surrender. Let it go for the Spirit to work upon it." It instantly made me think of Moses' rod. God commanded him to throw it down. Once his hands was off it, it turned into a snake. When God told him to grab its tail, it instantly became a rod again. It became alive when his hands were off it. Again, the lesson of letting go. But not in doubt. Letting go in belief.
This is deeper than just holding everything in an open hand. This is putting it to death in my heart. This is dying to it myself. This is imaging being at the funeral of whatever it is. And walking away from the casket. And believing the LORD will resurrect it at His time and in His way. And maybe not even while I am on this side of glory.
All this talk of death takes me back to standing alone at my Jim's casket. Everything within me wanted to crawl into that casket with him. To pull the lid down and be done. But our unborn baby within me stirred and brought reality to my mind. I had to walk away and leave my heart lying there shattered in a million pieces. It was the beginning of a long journey of letting go. Yet I will forever remember words from that night. "See you later."
I imagine Abraham's heart was saying similar words as he lifted the knife in the air believing in the God who has power over death. He believed the Almighty was going to bring life again to his son. The Almighty would bring life again to His Promise. But first he had to let go in faith.
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