Mega Faith

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son."
Hebrews 11:17


I have learned a lot about faith over the past few years. I have realized that my struggle with faith caused me to be unwilling to respond and act on what I believed. Really, it was nothing more than fear. I may have been afraid of losing what I had instead of entering into what God had for me. But no longer. I know that responding to God's direction in faith accompanied by my action is powerful. It changes my own life and the lives of others when I am faithful to do this.
    This verse from Hebrews is so incredible to me. Abraham chose to respond to God's direction to him. He was about to take his only son, who had been promised by God and was miraculously conceived, and sacrifice him on an altar before God. He had to have been thinking: Maybe God is going to give me another son. Maybe I won't have to sacrifice him at all. Why, God?  Of course, we all know the end of the story. God provided a sacrifice and he did not have to sacrifice Isaac that day. But the incredible part of the story is Abraham's faith. Reading on in Hebrews 11, you see this incredible report about Abraham: "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead." Are you kidding me? Abraham's faith was so great that he absolutely could not  be backed into a corner. He didn't really think any of those things I mentioned above. He simply believed to the point of saying, "Well, if I sacrifice Isaac, God will just raise him from the dead!"
    I want to have faith that is so strong that I cannot be backed into a corner. I want to respond to God, no matter how outlandish it appears. This is the test of faith: Do I really believe God can do absolutely anything? If I do, then I will not be afraid to do whatever he asks. Abraham believed God so much that he offered his only son to him. Am I willing to offer the stuff I have to him?
    I am praying for this kind of faith to be manifested in Christians today. Imagine the possibilities. God can and will change everything if we are willing to be people of faith. We need a whole lot of little 'Abrahams.'