God’s Good Promises

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)

            Most of us have read the story of Abraham offering up Isaac as told in Genesis 22. We already know how the story is going to unravel. But imagine you’re reading this for the very first time. Your reaction would likely be, “Say what? God demands a human sacrifice, so Abraham readily complies?”

 We aren’t told what was going through Abraham’s mind. What we do know is that he acted in faith. Hebrews 11 tells us his life was governed by that very same faith. “By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith, he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents” (Hebrews 11: 8-10, The Message).

Now, once again, faced with a call to action, Abraham doesn’t hesitate to obey.  ^“By faith, Abraham, at the time of testing, offered Isaac back to God. Acting in faith, he was as ready to return the promised son, his only son, as he had been to receive him—and this after he had already been told, ‘Your descendants shall come from Isaac.’ Abraham figured that if God wanted to, he could raise the dead. In a sense, that’s what happened when he received Isaac back, alive from off the altar” (Hebrews 11: 17-19, The Message).

Did you catch that key phrase? Abraham had already been told, ‘Your descendants shall come from Isaac.’ In the face of everything that seemed wrong, Abraham clung to the promise he had been given (Genesis 21:12). He didn’t understand the why or the how, but he knew the Who and that was sufficient for him.

In times of testing, hold fast to God’s promises. Write them down. Memorize them. Appropriate them. Walk in them.

Here is one you might want to memorize: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

The crown of life! Now that is a promise worth holding on to!