Trust.

I've really been pondering this concept of Trust this past week. I guess it came up because I was studying the story of Abraham & Isaac in Genesis. You know, Abraham takes his son all the way up a mountain because God told him to, and he ties him to an altar, preparing to kill him as a sacrifice, because God told him to. What was he thinking?! Literally, what must have been going through Abraham's mind? The scene seems almost anticlimactic as we read it in scripture. He seems to be at peace about the whole thing. Can you imagine? Oh, how I would have been freaking out!! But Abraham completely trusts. Completely obeys. Does he know deep in his heart of hearts that God will not actually make him go through with killing his son? Perhaps. Or does he just know God. Does he just believe Him and take Him at His word? He is God Almighty, El Shaddai, Lord of Lords...He can do anything! And He will accomplish his purposes for his people. No one and no circumstance can shake our God.

As I read this story, I began to question events in my life where I supposedly was "trusting God". Events that rocked my life, and often left me doubting, wondering, "Who is this God? And where is He now?" I wish my trust were as firm as Abraham's. I pray, Lord, that you would increase my faith. Help me to trust more fully.

I once heard Angela Thomas describe faith as a chair, and we can choose whether to sit on the edge of it with our feet firmly planted (in our own strength). Or we can sit back fully, putting our whole weight into the Lord, believing He is who He says He is. I want to sit fully. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of trying to sit up straight on my own. My back hurts just thinking about it! I need the comfort of that chair of faith.

So as I ponder this, I guess it comes down to Grace. I don't deserve much of anything, in fact the truth is, I deserve death. Even if we don't see our sins as the 'biggees,' we all know deep down that we sin all day long. We are not perfect people. Neither was Abraham. But God gave him a hefty dose of grace that day on that mountain, I believe. And God helped him to believe, to trust, to put his weight fully in that chair and obey. Praise the Lord, that He gives me the grace to trust more & more each day, teaching me in every moment. May I pass on a legacy of leaning on that grace, of trusting in the One who enables us to Trust.