A deeper and inner challenge - You say you are Wlling but will you really Act on it?!

31 December 2006
R.T.Kendall <> - Abraham and Isaac ( Heb 11:17-18)

“ We are told that Abraham ‘stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his on’ (Gen 22 : 10), for Isaac was ‘ as good as dead’. Abraham was now carrying outwardly what he had committed himself to inwardly. Abraham had in his heart of hearts said ‘goodbye to Isaac’.

By the way, Abraham had to do it. He had been willing, yes. But he had to do it. Our hearts are so deceitful. We often think we are wiling but when it comes to doing we tend to play games with ourselves. When Abraham stretched forth his hand, there was not the remotest thought that God would stop him. Many of us know the ending of the story and often fancy a happy ending of our particular trial along the lines of the Abraham and Isaac story. We therefore say to ourselves that we are willing. We are willing to abandon ourselves to God, but do we do it? We are willing to obey but do we do it? Jesus said : ‘ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it’ ( Mark 8:35)

As long as we are thinking of saving our lives that whole time we are trying to lose them, it manifestly shows we haven’t abandoned ourselves yet. To lose oneself is to carry out outwardly what we are committed to inwardly without any thought of a happy consequence.

Don’t; try to predict the end from the beginning. What God will salvage when you offer your own body a ‘living sacrifice’ is His business. You will say “ but there will be nothing left of me for Him to use.’ When there is nothing left of you for God to use, you are at the moment ready to be used.

When God speaks, somehow it shuts me up and stops me from questioning more. All I have to do is just OBEY and TRUST HIM whose ways are higher than and thoughts are greater than mine! Lord, teach me how.