"The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life; gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.” 
- Oswald Chambers

“for we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

The world values common sense and knowledge but faith always requires a level of uncertainty, a level of danger, a level of sacrifice of what is precious and a level of hearing God's voice and obeying. All these elements of faith are built up over time in smaller tests until we are ready for the defining test(s) of our lives. Those tests may look like interruptions in our lives, but from God’s perspective they are part of the road that we walk in Him. “The instant we abandon ourselves to God, he begins to fill our life with constant surprises,” Chambers continues. God often calls us to do works which are insensible to our minds. Growing faith, like growing muscle, requires resistance. Peter clued us into this when he wrote, “12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

“So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.” Genesis‬ ‭22‬:‭6‬-‭8

The Bible is not definitive about Isaac's age at the sacrifice at Mount Moriah but there are clues that suggest that Issac was not a young child but likely late teens or, according to Jewish tradition, as old as 37 years of age. Isaac carries the wood, he is aware of the required elements of the sacrifice and then the nearness to the biblical account of Sarah's death in Chapter 23 (Sarah 90 at his birth, she died at 127) all suggest that Isaac was older. This is an important detail because Isaac had to have a level of trust and cooperation because Abraham could not have physically overpowered him. The spiritual picture comes beautifully into focus of God the Father choosing to sacrifice His son while God the Son submitted to the will of the Father even unto death (Philippians 2:8). Faith always requires a level of uncertainty, a level of danger, a level of sacrifice of what is precious and a level of hearing God's voice and obeying despite personal suffering. All these elements of faith are built up over time in smaller tests until we are ready for the defining test(s) of our lives. We have been chosen to live in the most important time in human history, the return of Christ, where all the elements of faith are required in full maturity. May we, like Abraham, rise to the challenge and do great exploits to hasten the return of the King.

“Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”” Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭21-22‬ 

There are times where the Lord puts in front of us a choice: follow social and familial obligations or follow Christ. It is a test we must all pass and at times it is downright agonizing. Here it is storge (sentimental) love versus Agape (God’s) love. It could be eros (romantic) or phileos (friendship), it's all the same. Human love, human loyalty, human familiarity versus loyalty to God. Every hero of the faith in the past has faced it and it was God ordained. We don't know if this disciple's father was dead or merely near death, most likely the latter, but the test is the same. Will I choose family and familiarity over Christ? The disciple who asked to bury his father before following Jesus is not specifically named in the Gospel accounts. The disciple remains nameless because it is a test put before all the Elect. We live in just such a time where we must leave the world and all its benefits and all its depravity behind to follow Christ. We are the nameless disciple. May the Lord strengthen our faith to pass the test in our day.

"Servants of God must stand so much alone that they never know they are alone...We have to get used to this—so used to it that no matter what happens, we never feel we are standing alone." Chambers.
Chambers this morning perfectly describes the spiritual life with Christ. We must so often stand alone with Christ but we are never alone because we are standing with Him. Once we reach this spiritual place then we become impervious to social and society pressures. The spiritual person experiences the feelings of loneliness, perhaps of abandonment or betrayal but we never dwell on it for long. David describes why, “But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬, ‭8‬ 
God has quite literally set us apart, separated for His particular use. This is the definition of holiness. All the sinful behaviors we abstain from are simply an outworking of our being set apart. Our safety is bundled together with the fact that we've been set apart. We put our valuables in a safe, under lock and key. They are set apart from the ordinary items like our plates or cups or a roll of paper towels. These ordinary items are useful but not precious. The Lord has set us apart, sealed us with His mark and now we are jealously guarded from all danger, misuse or harm, kept safely for His particular pleasure. Our part is to recognize that we've been set apart, to be holy and not try to blend in with the evil and the profane. The Lord says to us "Therefore (because I've set you apart) come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 We stand alone but we are never alone. The Lord stands with us and there are others who have likewise been set apart who stand with us. Few, to be sure, but there are some. And I gladly stand with them. May we choose to be set apart in everything we do today

Spiritual capacity has nothing to do with intellect or education; it is measured by the promises of God.     Oswald Chambers.  

This truth must be embedded in our thinking else we will never do anything by the power of the Holy Spirit but rather be limited by our own abilities. Paul says to the Corinthians, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.” (2Cor6:12) God regularly asks us to do things that are beyond our own abilities and at the time we can't see how we will be able to do it. We don't know how to do what God has asked, we don't know how long it might take, we don't know who God might be calling to co-labor with us. We only have the call of God and a first step we must take. When we make the decision to take the first step, the Lord empowers us to take it and then every step thereafter. At the start we rarely see the whole journey ahead. The Lord said to Joseph (note God spoke to the head of the household, not the falsely deified Mary) “saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ 
Joseph obeyed not knowing where he was going other than go back to Israel. Modern disciples want all the information before we make a decision. We want to know in advance all the resources required, who else will help us, and then we want to consult our busy calendars to make sure we don't have other things we'd rather do. I'm sure Joseph had plans at the time of the Lord's calling to return to Egypt. Most people are not sitting around doing nothing when God calls. Even if we are not in full time employment, we have plans and commitments. If we allow our calendars to dictate our obedience, we won't do much for God. The Lord often goes out of His way to make following Him inconvenient and uncomfortable and costly. When has God asked any hero of the faith to do something that was easy and convenient? Built into every calling are tests of our will and devotion. Will we do the hard thing?  the embarrassing thing? the lonely thing? the expensive thing? the seemingly impossible thing? If we say, “yes" and go, then we are in a position to have God do great things through us. May we walk in joyful obedience in all that the Lord calls us to do today.