By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Hebrews 11: 17-19

Over the last couple of days we’ve considered a couple of scenes out of the life of Abraham, but perhaps his biggest test of faith is captured in the verses above. Abraham had learned to trust God in any circumstance and this is expressed through his obedience to the word of the LORD.

A.W. Tozer wrote an entire chapter of “The Pursuit of God” on this topic. He recognized the temptations of things including relationships and used the story of Abraham and Isaac to illustrate how Abraham grew in his faith by surrendering the child of promise, his only son and choosing to serve God no matter what the cost.

At the end of the chapter, Tozer wrote this personal prayer:

Father, I want to know you, but my cowardly heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from You the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that You may enter and dwell there without a rival. Then You shall make the place of Your feet glorious. The shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it, for You will be the light of it and there shall be no night there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As I read through the prayer I recognized my own heart and those I cherish. I am familiar with the trembling and the dread of having those things pulled up by the roots.

Am I willing to be obedient, no matter what?