A RELATIONSHIP OF FAITH

In yesterday’s blog post, Takiyah Gray spoke of heeding the word of the Lord. Our ability to submit our will to the authority and wisdom of God’s word and instruction is often hindered by our attachments to valuables. A person’s valuables aren’t confined to objects considered to be expensive or rare but can included people, habits, and activities. We all place varying values on aspects of our lives that can interfere with our ability to heed the word of the Lord and obey His instructions. Faith and trust enabled Abraham to place what he held most dear into the hands of the Lord, his only son.

God blessed Abraham with a son in his old age. Isaac was the only child of his wife Sarah and stood as the heir to his vast fortune; making his value to Abraham immeasurable. For this reason, God’s instruction for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac was monumental. Abraham’s deep faith prompted him to heed the instructions of the Lord without question or hesitation. (Gen 21:8-23 & 22:1-14) His faith was extraordinary because obedience to God superseded his desires and most valuable possession. What struck me in this reading was that his trust in God’s faithfulness extended to his household and servants through his example.

After the death of his wife Sarah, Abraham desired to find a wife for his son. (Gen 24:1-67) As you read the scripture, you will see that his servant exhibited a trust in the Lord that guided his every move. Although Abraham let him know that the Angel of the Lord would assist him in finding a wife for Isaac, his own faith and trust in God’s sovereignty can be seen in his prayer.

Faith and trust are similar but not the same. Faith is the belief and trust in something or someone and their abilities. Trust the confidence in the ability of someone to do what is promised or pledged. While faith requires belief without knowing, trust knows that one’s faith is well-placed. The prayer of Abraham’s servant showed that he knew that God’s faithfulness would result in the completion of his mission. The examples of Abraham and his servant show a relationship with God. A confidence in God’s goodness that can only be developed through understanding and consistent experiences of manifested faith. Expressing faith is easy. The question that we must ask ourselves is this… Do we merely have faith or are we in a relationship with Jesus that includes our trust in His goodness and His trust that we will heed and be obedient to His word?