This blog considers that Abraham’s Moriah experience exists when we face whatever poses the stiffest challenge to our discipleship. It reveals:
… even if we must surrender relationships, possessions, career or ambitions we consider too essential to lose. … Levi symbolized that person Luke 5:27-39. He not only resigned his lucrative tax position, but immediately hosted a party celebrating the Nazarene prophet who prompted his decision. He symbolized the effect of the burnt offering. … the Rich Young Ruler symbolized the other person Mark 10:17-27. … he nodded his head as Jesus listed person to person requirements in the Law … then shook his head when Jesus demanded surrender of his wealth for exchange of spiritual blessings. He wouldn’t symbolize the burnt offering. What excepts do we place on our discipleship—as in, everything except…. _______________ you fill in the blank.
Whenever we say, “I won’t surrender that”, we fail our Moriah experience. Whenever we say, “I’ll surrender EVEN THAT to God’s will,” we pass its test. We symbolize the effect of the burnt offering, giving to God ALL, keeping nothing under our supervision. Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking we’ve achieved such maturity in discipleship that we need no more testing. Abraham may have thought he had done it all before God ordered the SUPREME test. Only passing it at 115-120 or so years did he prove a disciple who never again needed to prove obedience to God. Only then he proved faith equal to the greatest test of his discipleship. Just as Jesus, perfectly obeying his Father’s will, passed it in Gethsemane, the Moriah test that led to Calvary. A post-blog encouragement. We can make excuses why we fail as Christians, but we have God-given reasons to succeed. Commitment to Christ calls us to what we haven’t yet achieved for him, however much we have. It calls us to TRY AGAIN when we FAIL. But it never allows us to STOP TRYING! If we hang up that commitment in our mind like a horseshoe on a wall, it will bring us MUCH MORE than good luck. Abraham failed God three times. But he kept trying and pleased God on the fourth. For like Abraham, while facing and overcoming it by trusting God, we’ll never have another trial like it. Fini
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