devotions and reflections

I facilitated a Sabbath School class today and our discussions keep coming back. One of the things that particulary left an impression on my mind was the test of Abraham’s faith. Going back to Abraham’s life before he got a son I noticed a pattern in the series of covenants and tests God gave his servant.

First God called Abraham leave his country and go to a place God had chosen for him.

Second, one night Abraham went out and looking at the darkness around him God instructed him to look at the stars in the sky. And God told him that his seeds will be as many as the stars. Some years later, however, Abraham was still childless.

Third, three heavenly visitant’s passed by Abraham’s camp and on his persistent entreatment, they tarried for a while while Sarah prepared them food. They then told Abraham that his wife, Sarah, will have a son.  Sarah however was barren and had already passed her child-bearing age. During this time however, Abraham lost sight of the promise because he agreed to sleep with Sarah’s servant. In a way he conspired with his wife to claim God’s promise in their own way. But God is a God of faithfulness and despite Abraham’s failure, He still kept his covenant. And we know that Sarah did give birth to a son.

Fourth, God asked Abraham to do the unthinkable–to offer his promised son as a sacrifice to the Lord. By this time Abraham must have built up his faith and didn’t hesitate to obey God completely.

Drawing from this example I tried to go back to my past and recall each particular incident where God was testing my faith or building it up.  And I came to realize that God’s way of building up our faith is organized in a gradual process. Just like Abraham, our faith is tested step by step until we reach that scale that God has set for us.