scary faith

Good morning all,
Our passage this morning continues with more examples of the power of faith. This really is a whirlwind tour of the Old Testament. Abraham continues to be one of the author's favorite example, this time not just for leaving home because of God's calling but for his willingness to offer Isaac in sacrifice to God. I've always felt fascinated and terrified by this story. After years of hoping for the son God promised, after the joy of finally having a son by Sarah and coming to love that son deeply, God called Abraham to take Isaac up to a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. For those of you who are parents, this probably turns your stomach even more than it turns mine; I truly can't imagine the pain. Abraham is getting ready to sacrifice not only his son, but the fulfillment of the promise God made to him. It's terrifying and shocking, but it is also amazing faith.

We also see Moses as an example of faith: both his parents' faith in keeping him safe in defiance of Pharaoh's orders and his own faith in leaving privilege for the sake of solidarity with the oppressed. With Moses too we see someone hear God's calling and struggle with it. Moses doubts his ability to do what God calls him to do, but when he follows, he finds that God can work through him to do amazing things. That's a big part of what faith means: it means trusting that when God sends us somewhere he has our back. It means we are never alone and we aren't relying on our own strength in ministry. God is always with us; the future is in God's hands. Let us go forward in faith.

God bless,
Sam


Hebrews 11:17-28
17By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18of whom he had been told, “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.” 19He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

20By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, “bowing in worship over the top of his staff.” 22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.

23By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.