The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-11-13

r~<1<E 81 &<z<kyS94 Ieutures OF tnlS
test Of faith are
found in many OF Gods dealings with
his people today.
First, IL was wholly unexpected. II
cnme after these things" These
things" are the events OF Abruham's
life up 10 this point. They include his
call and his separation from his coun-
try and his fathers house his expert
ence with Lot and SOdom and the de
feat of the kings; the promise that his
family should increase and the expert
e1ce with Hagar and Ishmael; the
change Of his name and the coming OF
the promised son Isaac. II looked To
human sight as though his active life
was over and he had but TO rest quiet
ly through the few years left on earth.
II looked MS though his life was com
plete. He may have been thinking as
Job was when he said in Job 20 rs. Il
shall die In my nest" But we are re-
minded that perfection Is never
reached In this life, and therefore the
training is never finished. No matter
ence. new lessons are to be learned
and unexpected trials OF our faith are
10 be looked for as long as we abide Ia
the flesh.
Secondly, II was unexplained. God
did not tell Abraham why he was put
ting this test upon him. Amy explana-
ton would have robbed the test Of It's
value. II Abraham knew just why God
asked him TO offer up Isaac he would
have seen what God saw and there
could be no proper test OF faith. We
are continually asking "WhyT at
every turn In Gods dealings and are
frequently In danger OF disobeylng God
because he does not condescend to
give us an answer to the why" We
know that all things work together for
good 10 those that love God. and this
knowledge of the ultimate issue In
good should make us more and more
hesltant In questioning the motives OF
Gods dealings with US. II We knew
why things are as they are. or II things
always went In way we could ex-
precious" would lose all value.
In the third place, II was unreason-
able. or SO IL would seem from the hu.
man viewpoint. Abraham was asked
Ia offer up his son. Isaac. Now think
who Isaac was and what he represent
ed. God had declared that his prom
ises would center In Isaac. II anything
should happen to this boy what would
become Of the promisesi How could
Gods word be fulfilledf II God was
not true 10 his Word the whole founda-
ton ~ faith would be destroyed and
Abraham would be found to have fol-
lowed false voice. II must certainly
have seemed 10 be unreasonable to
Abraham, and very often Gods deal.
ings seem unreasonable TO us. We are
50 often afraid. though perhaps we do
not give the thought words. that God
Is making a mistake. In some loss OF
friend or relative. or I'm the taking
away of some strong pillar OF the
church we say one 10 another: "Thls
is a great loss-thls is irreparable."
We act and talk as though in reality
God was making a mistake because his
dealings and provldences seem unrea-
sonable. But the event always proves
the reasonabeness of his actions and
We find he has ways above our reason.
The action OF Abraham under test |
holds an example for us. His obedl- |
ence was prompt; no dragging of feet |
as he went 10 do the Lords bidding. |
Putting OF doing usually results In not
doing at all. II was unquestionIng !
When questioning comes In, human |
reason usually triumphs over divine |
revelation. II was unstinted. Partial !
obedience gives God little chance OF !
bestOwlng blessings.
The secret OF Abraham's obedience |
Is Ia be found. think. In verse II, |
where the Lord says: "Now | know |
that thou fearest God" Abraham's |
faith had received the promises and
now his fear Obeys the precepts. Not
the servile fear of the criminal afraid |
OF the vengeance Of the broken law,
but the godly reverence yielded 10 Je-
hovah leading TO putting him in the
supreme place Of authority In the life.
Abraham's fear which issued In obedi-
ence is the proof of Abraham's faith.
As James puts II, Faith without