An Abraham Testing

Mrs. Janet called to see if I would play the piano tonight at church. I told her if she could get Mrs. Tammy C to play, that would be wonderful because I feel very uncomfortable and inadequate playing in front of so many people. But she called back and said I was it. Apparently our regular player, Mrs. Tammy G, was working out of town today and would be running late. Tammy C was helping to take care of her Grandmother tonight. And Mrs. Parris was nursery mother. SO! That left the bottom of the barrel.....ME!

As I said in a previous post, I do not play like these other ladies. Everyone is so nice to compliment my playing, but truth be told, I am very nervous to the point of being sick. My face was flustered, my neck was sweating, my hands were shaking. It was pretty bad.

I walked up on the platform and sat with Brother Arnold before church. He is a Senior Saint and our song leader. I showed him two songs I knew I could play fairly well. He then told me a story, the way only he can, and I felt soooo much better. About the time he was finished telling this hilarious story, I looked up and saw the most wonderful face I've ever seen. There, standing before me, was my ram in the thicket...Mrs. Tammy G, our regular player!! I think God was testing me to see if I was willing to play. Even though He knew I really did not want to.

As I sat in our pew listening to Mrs. Tammy play, I thought about Abraham and how it must have made him feel as he walked up that mountain with his only son, knowing that God wanted him to sacrifice Isaac. He had no idea God was only testing him to see if he was willing to obey. I'm sure he had seen that mountain numerous times before. But that day, it must have looked so much taller than he could remember. Each step higher must have been more difficult than the last.

And as Abraham was building the alter, each stone must have been heavier than it looked. I imagine that alter, to Abraham, was so much more than just a pile of rocks. And to us, it is a symbol of his obedience.

As he placed his son upon that rock alter and lifted his knife into the air, we can not even begin to imagine the great relief he must have felt as he heard from Heaven to stop.

Abraham was willing to do what he had to do in order to please God. I realize that playing the piano for church service pales greatly in comparison to sacrificing your son. But what will God ask us to do for Him? How far will we go to obey Him?

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable
service."