CCOG Newsletter

St. Patrick's Day is this week. It is celebrated by many by wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage, or with stories of leprechauns. But the real story is worth learning. The young man who would become St. Patrick was born into a wealthy family in England. He was captured in his home country, taken to Ireland, and sold into slavery. For six years he lived as a slave, longing for home. While he was in this terrible situation, he was experiencing a spiritual awakening. The Holy Spirit began to work so that Patrick repented of his sins and began to turn to God in prayer. In a vision, God showed him a way to escape and make his way home. Upon his return to England, he devoted his life to becoming a Catholic priest. In another vision, God called Patrick to return to Ireland to encourage believers and spread the Gospel in the place of his oppression. Rather than see his time as an captive as a curse, he realized that God was preparing him to minister to the Irish people. For six years he had learned their beliefs and customs. Because of this, he was able to adapt their pagan religion to explain the Gospel to them. For example, it is believed that he used the shamrock - with its three leaves - to explain the Trinity. God used the trouble that Patrick endured to be a blessing to an entire nation of people.

Genesis 22:3 NKJV

“So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”

The instruction that was given to Abraham read thus: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (Genesis 22:2). Abraham, without hesitation, rose up early in the morning the following day and left for Moriah. His obedience was prompt and timely. There were no excuses of age, weather conditions, exhaustion, feelings, or Isaac being his one and only son of promise - none whatsoever. Instead, he got up early and set out on the path of obedience while not understanding the totality of it all.

Abraham had been walking with God for most of his life, so he knew God very well. Instead of questioning God, he chose to trust His decisions and put faith in whatever God's plans were. I wouldn't dare to say I understand all that was going on in Abraham's head - the doubts, fears, questions, or emotional rollercoaster - but he certainly did not move in this direction; his mind was made up to obey God. This was an intentional choice, not an emotional one; if it were the latter, when his son Isaac asked where the lamb for the offering was, seeing that they had everything but the lamb for the sacrifice itself, he would have had a change of mind. But Abraham answered, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering" (Genesis 22:8).

We cannot say we love God and choose how and when we want to obey. Timeliness in obedience shows our level of trust in God. Delayed obedience is synonymous with disobedience.

Prayer: Dear God, I will rise early to obey Your commands as Abraham did. I will not delay; in Jesus' name, Amen.