I was lying awake tonight thinking, as is usual for those nights I have to write, about Mike and Tara and their yearly treks up a mountain in Colorado. This year they are not getting to go which has both of them quite disappointed. They love the mountains; so do I, however, I do not care to make that hike up. I am not a wilderness girl. I like my modern conveniences such as air conditioning, running water, soft bed, you know the things that make us comfortable. They however live for the week of roughing it.
I admit, I would love to spend time in God's beautiful creation but I don't care for sleeping out with bears. I'm not sure I could even make the climb. I know I would not be real comfortable with repelling off the cliff. White water rafting might scare me too much to actually do it, but I would love to see God's creation that way. Mike tells me that his solo time on the mountains with God is what he looks forward to the most. It is his time when he feels closest to Him and can almost hear God speaking. The times that he and Tara have spent together climbing the mountains, carrying their burdensome packs and surviving in the wilderness, have been challenging and rewarding for them both.
I guess it is this trip that has my mind on the story of Abraham and Isaac. He and his son made a trek up a mountain too. When I think of them I can see the excitement in Isaac's eyes when his father told him they were going on a trip. A trip much like the one my family takes. They were going to the mountain to worship God and make a sacrifice to Him. A father and son on their own trek. I can imagine the conversations they had as they walked along. How Abraham must have told Isaac stories of God and how He had promised a son to Abraham in his old age. I'm sure he told Isaac of the promise to make his descendants as numerous as the stars and that they would be God's people all along knowing their was another purpose for this trip that Isaac did not know. Abraham had desired a son and God had promised him a son. THEN, once he had the son that God had promised, God asked him to give him up. And even worse than that, God asked him to SACRIFICE his son to Him! This was the purpose of their trek.
I haven't ever been able to understand how Abraham walked up that mountain. Walking with his son and knowing that these were possibly the last few moments he would spend with him. He built that alter, and gathered the wood and laid it carefully upon the alter. Then came the time he had to tell his son the truth. He then picked him up and tied his promised, loved and ONLY son to the alter. Talk about faith and devotion. I think that Abraham had either tremendous faith to believe God would bring Isaac back to life or that He would provide another way. I also see that Abraham loved the Lord even more than the greatest desire of his heart, his son.
I did a study recently on idols and what we set our hearts and desires on. If it is anything other than God first, then we have an idol. That hit home to me. I put my kids and Mike above just about everything and everyone, as it should be, but I realized I also put them above God many many times. I also don't believe I could have walked to the top of that mountain to sacrifice any of them.
What did God want from Abraham? I believe he wanted to know if Abraham loved Him above all. Did Abraham desire his son over his relationship with his God? What was first in Abraham's life? What about you? What about me? What if, and this is hard for me, God asked me to love him and in that process it would mean losing my family? Could I make that sacrifice? Could you?
I ask you this because I think God wants to know that even if we don't have the desires of our hearts, will we love Him? I feel that He is asking us if we really believe, really trust, and truly believe that HE is all we need and that HE is faithful to His word and His promises. Will you walk to the top of the mountain, build the alter, place the promised desire of your heart upon it, and sacrifice it, believing that God will replace it, restore it, or be all you need? I've asked myself this question many times. My answer is not as brave as Abraham's, but I believe it is what God would want of me too. Nothing can be more important in our lives than our relationship and devotion to God. I also believe that just as He provided a way out for Abraham and restored Isaac to his father, He will keep His promises to us and restore what may feel lost.
Each year when Mike and Tara leave for their adventure on the mountain, I often feel that tug at my heart, that fear of losing them during their trip. Each year I have to give them up to God and His mountain. Each year He has given them back to me and our family. Everything that is good in my life has come from Him. Everything that I have is His. Above all, the desires of my heart need to be my relationship with God and then those He has given to me. It is hard to imagine how Abraham must have felt that day. Did he question God or did he fully believe, fully trust? He showed he was willing to fully obey. I don't know that I could have even begun to climb that mountain.
I admit, I would love to spend time in God's beautiful creation but I don't care for sleeping out with bears. I'm not sure I could even make the climb. I know I would not be real comfortable with repelling off the cliff. White water rafting might scare me too much to actually do it, but I would love to see God's creation that way. Mike tells me that his solo time on the mountains with God is what he looks forward to the most. It is his time when he feels closest to Him and can almost hear God speaking. The times that he and Tara have spent together climbing the mountains, carrying their burdensome packs and surviving in the wilderness, have been challenging and rewarding for them both.
I guess it is this trip that has my mind on the story of Abraham and Isaac. He and his son made a trek up a mountain too. When I think of them I can see the excitement in Isaac's eyes when his father told him they were going on a trip. A trip much like the one my family takes. They were going to the mountain to worship God and make a sacrifice to Him. A father and son on their own trek. I can imagine the conversations they had as they walked along. How Abraham must have told Isaac stories of God and how He had promised a son to Abraham in his old age. I'm sure he told Isaac of the promise to make his descendants as numerous as the stars and that they would be God's people all along knowing their was another purpose for this trip that Isaac did not know. Abraham had desired a son and God had promised him a son. THEN, once he had the son that God had promised, God asked him to give him up. And even worse than that, God asked him to SACRIFICE his son to Him! This was the purpose of their trek.
I haven't ever been able to understand how Abraham walked up that mountain. Walking with his son and knowing that these were possibly the last few moments he would spend with him. He built that alter, and gathered the wood and laid it carefully upon the alter. Then came the time he had to tell his son the truth. He then picked him up and tied his promised, loved and ONLY son to the alter. Talk about faith and devotion. I think that Abraham had either tremendous faith to believe God would bring Isaac back to life or that He would provide another way. I also see that Abraham loved the Lord even more than the greatest desire of his heart, his son.
I did a study recently on idols and what we set our hearts and desires on. If it is anything other than God first, then we have an idol. That hit home to me. I put my kids and Mike above just about everything and everyone, as it should be, but I realized I also put them above God many many times. I also don't believe I could have walked to the top of that mountain to sacrifice any of them.
What did God want from Abraham? I believe he wanted to know if Abraham loved Him above all. Did Abraham desire his son over his relationship with his God? What was first in Abraham's life? What about you? What about me? What if, and this is hard for me, God asked me to love him and in that process it would mean losing my family? Could I make that sacrifice? Could you?
I ask you this because I think God wants to know that even if we don't have the desires of our hearts, will we love Him? I feel that He is asking us if we really believe, really trust, and truly believe that HE is all we need and that HE is faithful to His word and His promises. Will you walk to the top of the mountain, build the alter, place the promised desire of your heart upon it, and sacrifice it, believing that God will replace it, restore it, or be all you need? I've asked myself this question many times. My answer is not as brave as Abraham's, but I believe it is what God would want of me too. Nothing can be more important in our lives than our relationship and devotion to God. I also believe that just as He provided a way out for Abraham and restored Isaac to his father, He will keep His promises to us and restore what may feel lost.
Each year when Mike and Tara leave for their adventure on the mountain, I often feel that tug at my heart, that fear of losing them during their trip. Each year I have to give them up to God and His mountain. Each year He has given them back to me and our family. Everything that is good in my life has come from Him. Everything that I have is His. Above all, the desires of my heart need to be my relationship with God and then those He has given to me. It is hard to imagine how Abraham must have felt that day. Did he question God or did he fully believe, fully trust? He showed he was willing to fully obey. I don't know that I could have even begun to climb that mountain.
1 comment:
Denise,
The mountains you climb may not be physical mountains but your life does show a beautiful faith in God that you are passing down to your family and husband and friends like me! Our mountains don't always look the same but many times might require just as much if not more faith. I am so grateful to read your writings as it helps to center me back where I want/need to be. love ya,
Kerrie
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