Wednesday 25 November 2009
God's Love
When I watched this video on facebook posted by my dear sister, Angie, I was moved to tears. So many times in my years as a Christian, I have been told that if we really love God, we will sacrifice our "Isaacs" for Him when He requires us to. I used to really cringe at the thought and refused to accept that God who is supposed to be a God of love would be so sadistic and callous in His requirements of us. I could not imagine sacrificing my beloved child on the altar. I mean Abraham was a man of great faith, he had the faith that God would raise his son up again but I, skeptical and faithless I, did not profess to have even a measure of the faith that our dear father of faith had.
How my perspective of God has changed since I knew and understood His grace and unconditional love for mankind and yes, in particular for skeptical and faithless me. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the altar, God's main intention was not to test Abraham's faith or his love for Him as I have been taught in the past because He had already provided the ram as a substitute sacrifice. It was not about Abraham's love or our love for God and what we must do to earn His love. It is about God's love for us; His unconditional, amazing love which was freely given to us. God showed His love for us by giving us Jesus. Such is the amazing grace of God : it does not demand anything from us but it cost God His Son, His beloved Son.
Abraham's story in Genesis 22:1-16 was a foreshadow of what God was going to do to HIS OWN SON in the future. Isaac, carrying the wood up the mountain, was a picture of God's own beloved Son, Jesus Christ who will be carrying the wooden cross on His shoulders up another mountain in the future. While God had already provided a ram for Abraham, He did not provide a substitute sacrifice for Himself. God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his beloved son, Isaac so that he and we can behold the Lamb of God who was born to die on the cross for our sins. While Abraham was spared the heart-rending act of sacrificing his only son, God did not spare Himself from sacrificing His Son, His only Son, the Son whom He loves for us and yes, in particular for me, because He loves us and HE LOVES ME!
What an amazing God and what a wonderful Saviour we have in Jesus!
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Wow, this is the view from His heart... when we see this world through His heart... everything change!
"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10
Amen, Alan! Yes, we need to see the world through His heart of love for us :) Thank you for reminding us :)
Amen! Love your sharing sister! Esp the part dat says "God's main intention was not to test Abraham's faith or his love for Him as I have been taught in the past because He had already provided the ram as a substitute sacrifice."
When I first watched the video, I had my grace vs law lenses unknowingly on. I thought it was a video on our efforts and our sacrifice that I wanted to turn it off. But the moment Jesus' face appeared, the lenses came off and everything fell in place. How Abraham is like a type of God and Isaac like Jesus. Only that in God's case, the sacrifice remained to take the brunt of it all. And yes, i couldn't stop the tears from dropping too.
How from that video leads from one revelation to another is simply awesome isn't it?
John 3:16 "For God so love Kat & Angie, oh and Alan too (:D) that He gave His only begotten Son (His Grace) that when Kat , Angie & Alan believe (trust & rely) in Him, they shall not perish but have eternal life (intimacy with God). Hallelujah!
Thanking God that I have you to journey with on this revelation of Love sister. love you! :)
Angie (sorry i couldn't sign out of Mic's account without leaving this page and risk loosing the comment i've typed so i hadda select anonymous. no mouse except mabbe minnie mouse hahaha :P)
I just realized that many Christians and preachers(including me in the past) read the bible in a self-centered manner; we read and interpret scripture in terms of what we must do instead of what God has done.
Instead of focusing on God's provision of the ram, preachers focus on Abraham offering up Isaac, and teach that we must sacrifice just like Abraham did. However, they fail to also teach that Isaac did not die, the ram did.
Preachers focus on the 10 commandments and teach that we have to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength but in reality this is impossible for us to achieve; the truth is, it is God who loves us with all His heart, soul and strength.
Haha Angie, you are so funny...thanks for sharing your comments dear sis. Love you too :)
Stan thanks for reminding us that Isaac did not die, the ram did :)
Alas, quite the reminder! Thanks, sis! Let us continue to look to God as the amazingly compassionate author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Amen, Jamil! Thank you, brother for your comment. Blessings to you and your family :)
Post a Comment