Exposed

Genesis 22:12 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.

Luke 8:17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

When Abraham left the land of his fathers, he agreed to compromise. Perhaps it was a small compromise, seemingly insignificant in the grand scope of things, but small compromises are compromises nonetheless. The problem with compromises, even compromises that are built on misleading truths and appear to be easily justified, is that they open up the door for sin.

Abram agreed with Sarai to lie about they’re relationship. It wasn’t a complete lie for they were stating an undeniable fact. The problem was in the purposeful omission of the greater extent of they’re relationship. As it would happen, and as it always happens, this omission, this lack of faith was made evident. Abram and Sarai’s compromise nearly resulted in tragedy on at least two occasions. (In Egypt and with Abimilech.) However, the greater extent of their nearsighted decision what that the Messiah was to come through Abraham and Sarah. One small decision made with poor judgment and a lack of faith nearly tainted the line through which the Messiah was to come.

Fortunately, Abraham’s history does conclude with this anecdote. Somewhere along the line, Abraham learned to trust God. He was finally willing to surrender the details of God’s plan to God, to be obedient without needing to see the whole picture first.

Once again God put Abraham in the position of revealing his character through the decisions he made. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. How Abraham’s heart must have sunk! Could there be a worse requirement for obedience than to sacrifice your only son? What a truly horrible thing for God to ask? But it did at least two very important tasks. First, it brought Abraham’s faith to light. Abraham was now an example of faith. Second, it revealed to Abraham and his descendants the price that God Himself would have to pay. There would come a time in history where Father would have to sacrifice His only Son but there would be command to prevent the son from being damaged and destroyed for the sins of humanity.

God’s love was made manifest through His actions.

Through obedience, Abraham was able to see the very heart of God.

For good or for bad, our actions will be made visible. There is nothing hid from God. He sees it all and will expose our actions at a time that He knows to be best. Sometimes, it can be an area of compromise, no matter how small, or perhaps He may reveal to us the quality of our faith. Regardless, He knows what is best for us and will use our lives for His glory.

Father,

Show me those areas of compromise that need to be removed. Open my eyes and ears to Your correction. Test my faith, to reveal any contaminations that lay hidden. Improve the quality of my faith through Your purifying flame.