“We tend to create God in our image.”
Terrible theology, but often true. I first heard this line in a Star Trek movie. However, I’ve been familiar with this concept for most of my adult life. It’s not to say we create God in our literal image, with our hair and eye color. Instead, the implication is that we make a god of our liking. We create a god in the image we want in a god.
It’s not just unbelievers who do this. As disciples of Jesus, we can do this too. We can create Jesus the way we want Him to behave and act. We reimagine Him as someone Scripture hasn’t revealed Him to be.
Then, the Holy Spirit steps in through the Bible and challenges us.
Life was flowing along well for Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. The Lord was gracious to Abraham and had given him a son. After this period of everyday life, Genesis 22:1 interrupts.
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
Genesis 22:1, New International Version
“Here I am,” he replied.
This verse can be problematic for some. American Christianity has a few odd beliefs. One of them is that God is always nice and does “good things” for us. In our minds, He seems more like a grandpa than the King of the Universe.
But the Lord is challenging that mindset by testing Abraham. The Hebrew word for “test” implies stretching to the limit. The Lord speaks to Abraham after a time of silence, intending to stretch Abraham to the limit.
And let’s not forget, Scripture is clear as to the source of this testing: it’s God. The same God who called Abraham out of his pagan lifestyle. The same God who destroyed the cities on the plain. The same God who spared Lot. That same God is testing Abraham.
The Lord tests Abraham to build him for something greater.
As readers, we need to know up front what the Lord is up to. The request the Lord is about to make of Abraham will be shocking. The Holy Spirit ensures we know the Lord has the end in sight before ever speaking to Abraham. It’s a reminder that He’s always working.
Of course, Abraham didn’t know this when he responded to the Lord, but his response deserves our attention. His response of “Here I am” isn’t implying he felt like the Lord couldn’t find him. It’s an answer of reverence. The Lord’s servant, Abraham, is ready and willing for service. This is Abraham graciously bowing his heart to the God Who has called him by name.
How do you respond to this verse? Is it surprising that the Lord is going to stretch Abraham? How do you respond when the Lord stretches you? How do you respond when He doesn’t heal you? How do you respond when He doesn’t deliver the way you want?
God appeared to Abraham after a long time and spoke to test Abraham. He was about to stretch Abraham to his limits.
And the Lord will do it to us, too. We don’t create Him in our image. He has created us. He is our King. He has a perspective and purpose far greater than we can imagine.
Can we accept God on His terms?
Life Meets Theology 