The Promise
I have one last set of devotions for you on the life of Abraham! Throughout the year I have shared here and there about his life, and we've seen him leave his father's land and go on an adventure with God. We've seen his wife panic when God's promise of a child was slow in coming true. And then when that child finally did arrive, something scary happened. Genesis 22:1 says "Some time later God tested Abraham."
Notice, God didn't tempt him. Remember this - God doesn't tempt us to do evil. It's always Satan who tempts.
But God does test us. In fact God's promise is not just to bless us, but He promises to test us too.
God's Tests Produce Growth
You see, the point of a test is not to trip us up, or see us fail. It's to give us the opportunity to show how we've grown. Why do we do tests at school? Not for teachers to try to prove that we're idiots. But to give us the opportunity to prove our growth in knowledge or ability or whatever it might be.
A big part of Christian living is facing the tests that God sends our way. In fact the Bible is full of God testing His people so that they might grow.
For example, in Exodus we read: "Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.'" (Exodus 20:20) This was literally just after God spoke the Ten Commandments to the people. As He spoke, there was great thunder and lightning and trumpet sounds and smoke coming from the mountain Moses had come down from.
And that's when Moses says these words. Don't be afraid, he tells them, of these scary moments. God is giving you a chance to prove yourself. He wants to remind you that He is great and will help you stay holy.
God's tests are not meant to abuse or hurt us. He wants us to live holy and godly lives that glorify Him and have an impact in our world. And He gives us the chance to do this, by sending us into testing situations.
Testing Produces Perseverance
In fact James, brother of Jesus, who wrote a great book in the New Testament, says this early in his letter: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 1:2-3)
God wants to produce good character in us, Christlike character. So He tests us - because His tests do this.
What are you walking through at the moment? I know many of you are being tested. God isn't trying to knock you. He's growing you.
Or maybe you don't feel tested at the moment. Maybe you need to take a leaf out of King David's book. David invited God's tests! He wrote in Psalm 26:2 "Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." Or the more famous one: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." (Psalm 139:23)
That's faith. To ask Him to test you, so that you can prove yourself.
God's promise is not just to bless you. It's to test you.
Abraham got his blessing, his son - but with the blessing came a very difficult test of his obedience. It will be the same with you and with me!
