Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday September 4, 2007

The Lord has been blessing the series on HOPE and many lives have been touched by the message. I am very thankful that hope does spring eternal and that hope based on what God says is a stabilizing power in the storms of life, for I sure have enough to keep me on my knees.

For the last several days I have been separated from civilization where running water was a miracle and no internet available, nor cell phone. No phone ringing for me is a blessing seldom enjoyed, but I am back and the phone is ringing as I write. While in the wilderness I did re-read Henry Blackabye's book, "Spiritual Leadership" and I only wish I had read the book 40 years ago.

Dr. Blackabye made a statement relative to Abraham's call to sacrifice Isaac that is the simplest, yet most profound statement I have ever read on the subject. Have you ever been in a situation where God calls upon you to let go of something or someone He has given to you and you deemed this precious or essential to the accomplishment of the goals you believed God had given to you? I know I have and I know the pain, at least the pain while I waited for further instruction or enlightenment from the Lord.

Here is Dr. Blackabye's statement concerning this crisis period concerning Isaac:

"God was telling Abraham to give up what appeared to be the one key ingredient to God's promise. Why? Because the real key to God's promises is not people or physical resources, but God. Abraham needed to understand that, as long as he had an intimate relationship with God, God's promises were assured, no matter how impossible his situation appeared."

Be certain I love all of the other glorious truths I have learned over the years about Isaac the child of promise, but this one set me to shouting in the wilderness. God has given many people and things to me along the way and I have attempted to be wise in the use of these gifts and gifted people. Sometimes I have failed. Sometimes I have utterly depended on the influence of others and on the effectiveness of machines the Lord has given to me. Years ago in one fell swoop; God took the people of vast influence and the machines of my particular ministry out of the equation. I then knew the truth of Corrie ten Boom's teaching, "Do not hold too tight to the things of earth, for it hurts so terribly when God prize them out of your hand."

When God wanted Isaac back Abraham assumed all hope was lost. When God is alive, and sees fit to take everything you think is necessary, hope in God and not in the things or people that are gone. God is eternal and so is hope that is based in God, in His word. The loss of all things suffered by Paul or you is simply God's way of using you differently from that point on. Hope in God is without fear of loss. Hope in people, or things can and needs to be transferred to God alone.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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