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Many of us think we are trustworthy. After all, we don't share the secrets we've been told. However, when it comes to the Lord, he sees the issue differently and it is important we see things from His perspective.
Abraham wanted one thing badly - a son. He had to reach 100 years old for Isaac to be born. And yet, without hesitation, Abraham went to sacrifice that same child when the Lord told him to.
Similarly, Hannah waited for years to have Samuel. But since she'd made a vow to relinquish that same child to God, she eventually dropped her baby off with the High Priest so Samuel could be raised to serve the Lord.
When Job lost everything, he didn't fight God or even hate Him. Instead, as his life crumbled before his eyes, he said, "...The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21).
God deemed these individuals trustworthy. He knew Abraham could be trusted to obey, even if it meant giving up what he'd waited a century to receive. He also knew Hannah would keep her covenant to give back the son that changed her name from barren to fruitful.
And as for Job, the Lord always knew that His servant would stand under the weight of his suffering. That is why He'd boasted in Job 1:8 - Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
Abraham, Hannah, and Job gave up their rights to what the Lord had given them. They teach us that we can't hold on too tightly to what we have. When the Lord calls for it, we must be willing to relinquish it. That willingness to obey under such circumstances is what will qualify us to be trustworthy.
Keeping a secret is easy. But as we can see, being trustworthy in the eyes of God can require a lot more. It is crucial to understand that God gives His children things so they become the vessel through whom He can disperse what was given.
Nothing about this is easy, but God is willing to help us become the very person whom He trusts because we trust Him with all we have. That is the hallmark of trustworthiness and I pray we'll all allow the Lord to teach us how to become more so. That way, we'll be ready when He comes calling.
James 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:
