From my guest author:
I was going to write a little about the struggles we went through as parents as our children grew, but God has let me know that those stories are not mine to tell, so he has led me to take a different direction.
I am an avid reader. I read all the time and always Christian books (almost all the time). I do this because I am always pointed back to God and where I need to be in my life.
I am currently reading a book and want to share what I have just read:
This story is about a young man and woman who dated for one year of their high school years and fell in love. They had sex one time and that one time resulted in twin girls. The young woman moved away from the city where they met and chose not to tell the father about the children that she had. This couple met again years later and the young man discovered the children. To make a long story short, they decided to marry and then the young woman decided marriage was not going to work for the girls and her.
The young man was always a Christian but not the young woman. She had become a Christian also when they met again. The young man was going to be a pastor and this is where God leads him. At a class of his, the instructor asks: Did God require a sacrifice from Abraham??? Yes, of course He did.
God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son to Him as proof of Abraham’s love for God. Abraham did not want to sacrifice his son, who would, but was obedient to God. God was really interested in Abraham’s heart, not the sacrifice of his son. Abraham had such a deep relationship with God that he had learned to trust Him so deeply that he had committed in his heart to be obedient because He knew God was faithful.
Abraham decided to sacrifice his son because he knew God was powerful enough to do whatever it took to give him his son back. God had made a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and Isaac was his only son. Abraham sacrificed the logical for God because time and experience had proven that God’s ways are always the best.
He builds the altar, places the wood and then binds his son, Isaac, and lays him on the altar. At this point, the Angel of the Lord calls out to Abraham and stops him from hurting his only son.
What would have happened if Abraham had been so focused that he missed the words of the Angel?
This is why we have to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I am so glad that Abraham was sensitive to God’s call. Isaac dying was never in the plan, only Abraham being willing to lay down his will for God’s and trusting that when all seemed lost that God had a plan to fulfill the promise.
As of this time in the story, the young man is seeking God’s will in his life and pursuing a different career than being a pastor for the time being. He knows his place is with his young children and the woman he loves. If you want to know “the rest of the story” this book is by Ann Goering and is a series of 3 books titled: Glendale, A New Day and Promising Forever. They are so relevant for young married couples or young single adults.
I see examples of God working in our lives every day all around me. Certainly not to this extent, but still very important issues in our lives. I am sure all of you that are now Christians have experienced this love and direction from God. If you are not yet a Christian, it is a great time to give your life to God.