From Sunday Morning
by Pastor Nave on March 13, 2016
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises 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 (Hebrews 11:17–19, KJV).
Defining Trust
Trust is very difficult to measure and even harder to build. We have a tendency to trust in something we think will lead to a particular result, or anything that will manifest the result we’re looking for. We lose trust when relationships do not go the way we feel they should go, and we fail to trust based on past experiences.
Regardless of our experiences in trust, we need to realize we serve a God who has never let us down. He has never left or forsaken us (Hebrews 13:5), and He cannot lie to us (Titus 1:2). God’s ways are perfect and everything and everyone else is flawed. His Word is tried and true. Trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6)!
Testing Our Level of Trust
Abraham was old in years when he gave seed to Isaac. The birth of his son was nothing short of a miracle; there was a promise in his life to be the beginning of all nations. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son only to prove how much he trusted Him.
God will test the level of trust we have in Him (Jeremiah 20:12). It’s easy for us to trust God for what He’s done in the past and even for what He’s doing in the present. But, it takes faith to trust Him for what He will do in our future. Abraham didn’t know how God’s promise would come to pass if he sacrificed Isaac, but He knew from where his son came from (Hebrews 11:19). If God was able to perform a miracle in his past, He was sure to do it again in the future.
Demonstrating Our Trust
God demands that our trust be demonstrated. We cannot ask God for anything and not prepare for it. We must show our faith by our works (James 2:18). If we are to walk by faith, we need to act as if a solution has already happened. We have no idea what God can do!
God’s Purpose for Testing
God will test us because He wants to give us the perspective He already has. He wants us to know we will not fail! We should never be surprised that tests will come (I Corinthians 10:13); everyone is tested. But, God will always make a way of escape from any situation.
God trusts us to trust Him. God trusted Job to still praise Him and trust Him even if He removed the hedge of protection around His life, family, and possessions. In the middle of His storm, Job still trusted God (Job 13:15). We cannot allow the devil to gain victory over us. We should give God the glory no matter what and know He will bring us out.
Blessings Through Testing
There will be a blessing in every test. When Abraham trusted God and tried to sacrifice Isaac, God provided a ram at the last moment. Abraham received a bonus blessing on top of what God had already promised him for His trust and faithfulness (Genesis 22:17–18). Job was blessed with more in his end than he had to begin with (Job 42:12). God doesn’t test us without there being a reward in Him.
Trust in Him
We need to learn to trust the Lord no matter what we face in life. We cannot celebrate just when we can actually see what’s in front of us—celebrate the same way even when we can’t see. There is an important lesson to learn in trusting God, and even greater blessing when we do.
