Still Faithful

God had brought Abraham a long way before asking of him the hardest task of his life. Abe had already left his home, traveling far away into unknown lands among strange people. He'd made foolish choices and suffered consequences. He'd been rescued by God from those consequences. He'd been used by God to rescue others from the consequences of their foolish choices. He'd learned patience and wisdom. And through all those years of awaiting the promises of God, his faith was growing.

Still, I doubt he felt prepared for God to say, "Give Me your son; the one you have prayed and waited decades for; your precious son, that you love."

Who could ever be prepared for that request? And yet we know he was prepared. How? By his response. "The next morning Abraham got up early and saddled his donkey..." He then traveled for three days to the mountain that God would show him.

He had to have been thinking about the long journey many years before when he left his homeland and set off for an unknown land. Undoubtedly, he reflected on all that had transpired in the interim and perhaps realized how different he was from that much younger man that first heard the voice of God. And even though he would have had much to thank God for in this reflecting, still the road before him must have been terrifying. We can know God is with us and know that He is guiding us and know that His plans for us are good and STILL be afraid of what's to come.

One of my current favorite songs is “Firm Foundation (He Won't)” by Cody Cairnes and Maverick City Music. This line wrecks me every time: "Rains came, winds blew but my house was built on You."

Over the past few years, many people have said that they can't imagine what I've been through. They wonder how I’m still upright after losing two sons and walking through cancer with my daughter. But let me always be the first to say that I am not standing in my own strength. That would not be possible. My secret? Right here:

“Christ is my firm foundation; The rock on which I stand. When everything around me is shaken, I've never been more glad that I put my trust in Jesus. He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. So why would He fail now? He won't.

I've still got joy in chaos. I've got peace that makes no sense. I won't be going under; I'm not held by my own strength 'cause I built my life on Jesus. He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. So why would He fail now? He won't!”

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus says:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock..." Matthew 7:24-25

When I was a kid, we sang a song based on this passage in Sunday School. “The rains came down and the floods came up!” (Sound familiar?) But whatever the intention of the song, my takeaway was “I’ll be wise, not foolish, and that will produce a peaceful life - free of storms.”

Now I see the point of the story is not about me. There is a choice to obey Jesus and He calls that wise. And to be clear, that’s the choice I want to make every day. But whether you do or not, the storms and floodwaters will come regardless. There's no getting through this life without them.

So where will you and I put our trust? On what will we build our lives? Education? Achievement? Relationships? Influence? I think history has proven that all of those foundations will fail when the storm is big enough.

Abraham gave his son, in obedience, trusting that God had a plan that was for his good and the blessing of all generations. He put one foot in front of the other for three days, then up the mountain, knowing he'd be sacrificing the most precious thing God had ever blessed him with. He couldn't have known what the outcome would be and yet he knew God was trustworthy.

He told Isaac on the way that God Himself would provide the lamb for sacrifice. And He would. That day for Isaac and Abraham, and many generations later through Jesus, the perfect Lamb that would be given for all.

God is still trustworthy. He's still faithful through all generations. You can build your life on this Rock. When everything around you is shaken, will He fail?

He won't.