The Jesus Bible Reading Planنموونە

CONFIDENCE IN GOD

Abraham’s confidence in light of his impending task testifies to a deeper confidence — his profound confidence in God. Not only had God asked him to do this startling task, but Abraham was certain that God would provide a means of deliverance. He told his servants to wait while he and Isaac, his son, went to worship God on the mountain. Knowing that God commanded him to sacrifice his son, Abraham told the servants that he and the boy would come back soon. “We will worship and then we will come back to you,” he said. He knew that God had promised to create a great nation through Isaac (Ge 12:1 – 3; 13:14 – 16; 15:1 – 21; 17:1 – 22; 18:1 – 15). For this reason, Abraham knew that God would either deliver Isaac from death or resurrect him following his death (Heb 11:19). Either way, God would keep his word.

Jesus also trusted God in the face of impending death. The ultimate son of the promise, Jesus asked that God take away the cup of his suffering (Lk 22:42). Yet Jesus knew that God would be faithful — either by providing deliverance from death or through his subsequent, victorious resurrection. Unlike Isaac, Jesus would willingly and confidently walk not only to the brink of death but through death itself and once again demonstrate the faithfulness of God to his promises.

Jesus, sometimes I am not as confident as I should be. Forgive me. Help me to always obey you, even when I don’t understand your commands. Amen.