Memorable Words Hebrews
Genesis 17:5 ESV
Genesis 22:1-12 ESV
Genesis 31:11-13
Genesis 46:2-4 ESV
Exodus 3:2-6 ESV
Hebrews 9:24 ESV
We know from scripture there have been humans who entered the Holy space of God. In the Old Testament we know Abram, or Avram in Hebrew was renamed Abraham. As part of the covenant with God, we read in Genesis 17:5, “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”
God renamed Abram to signify he would fulfill the promise to him.
But God increased Abraham’s faith when He tested him.
In Genesis 22:1-12 we learn, “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take 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.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
While I grew up hearing and reading that scripture, I didn’t fully understand it until later in life. See, when I was young I thought faith, my faith was MY faith (or how much faith I had). As I grew older and continued to study I came to realize that there are times in life when God gives us the opportunity to grow our faith.
God does not force us to grow. Instead God gives us opportunities to grow. When Abraham took his son Isaac up the mountain he was given an opportunity to stand on Holy ground. Abraham chose to grow his faith.
In Genesis 31:11-13, Jacob was given opportunities to grow his faith.
One night Jacob had a dream. “Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.”
In the dream God gave Jacob the answer he needed to know. Jacob believed God sent him the dream.
In Genesis 46:2-4 we learn, “God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.”
God told Jacob to go to Egypt and Jacob believed. Both examples were Holy moments and his faith increased.
Moses was also given an opportunity to grow in faith.
In Exodus 3:2-6 we read, “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”
Notice the bush was on fire but it did not burn up. Moses did not have to stop to notice the burning bush but when he did stop and turn to see, God spoke to him from the bush. When God spoke to Moses, he knew it was the voice of God and he knew it was a Holy moment. His faith increased.
Moses could have turned away. He could have made the choice to pass by the burning bush.
I have to wonder do we move so fast today that we might be missing the burning bush?
Does God call our name and we don’t hear because of the noise around us?
Does the television or the iPod claim our attention?
Do we miss out on Holy moments because we aren’t listening?
In Hebrews 9:24 we are told, “Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”
When we receive God, the Spirit of the Living God IN us nudges us, whispers to us...calls our name. From on high through the Spirit, Jesus has made it possible for us to enter into a Holy place right where we live.
God is ever present. The Spirit whispers our name. I believe God urges us every minute of every day to turn and return His love with open arms.
God’s greatest desire is that you will stop and listen long enough to receive His love,
Spiritual Practice: Receive
Turn off the sound. Turn off the music. Meet God in the Silence. Remember, silence is God’s first language. Listen to the silence for the Spirit in you to call Your name.
In God, Deborah
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