What Is Your Life All About? Series

Abraham is an exciting example of this. He was called and tested on many occasions. There is no question that he received the calling of God when he, and his family, including his father, moved, first from Ur to Haran. Then, after the death of his father, he followed God and moved farther. Abraham showed that he was willing to follow God. However, he ended up in Egypt and Abraham lied about his wife, Sarah, declaring her to be his sister, in order to protect himself. What do you think God learned about him from this? Sadly, Abraham didn’t learn, and did this a second time, with Abimilech, and, sadly, his nephew followed his example and offered daughters instead of strangers to the men of Sodom, and Isaac, Abraham’s son, lied about his wife in the same way on a future occasion. Through all this, God was watching. The ultimate test, of course, was for Abraham to believe that God would give him and Sarah a son and then, once given, that God could take care of him, when He asked Abraham to sacrifice his son.

God tested Jacob when he had to work years for the wife he wanted- even had to work extra years over what had been agreed with his uncle.

Adam and Eve failed a test in the garden. They could obey God, but they chose to disobey, and the consequences of that are still being seen.

In Gen. 39, we see where Joseph was tested and he passed with flying colours. He showed his character- he would not compromise with God’s standard. Here he was away from his home and his family, isolated, having been hurt and abandoned by his closest family, and he had every reason to give in and do what he wanted to do. Who would ever see? But he did not. In verse 9, he recognized that this would be a great sin against God! Here is a man of integrity and character- a good example for us all to follow. You, who are younger, want heroes- here is an outstanding hero to follow and to imitate. Here is a young person of incredible character, who put many adults, then and now, to shame, and puts to shame leaders of today.

Character is both developed and revealed by tests and all of life is a test. That’s simply the way it is. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather- the little and inconsequential things in your life. He watches your actions and sees what comes through and how you are handling what happens in your life. So, the big things and the little things are important in your life. Don’t undervalue the small things (I was on the bus on Thursday and two older ladies came on- I rose to give my seat to one of them and the person beside me did the same- then a younger person rose to offer his seat to me. First time that has happened, but I declined- I don’t mind standing on a bus. But that’s a small thing that I hope God blesses him in his life for.)

I can’t predict where you’ll be tested, but based on the Bible, we can think about what and where some of them will be, anyway. Knowing human nature, we can predict where some of these tests will come. We’ll be tested by major changes- how will we handle them? We’ve had major change in our church. This is one big area of testing- that of doctrinal change- because it strikes at our personal and denominational pride. Some people have not been able to accept that they could be and were wrong. But we all were. So what? That’s, in the end, where I have come. I see God leading the whole process of my life, so why get upset. God is in charge. But some have missed this and haven’t been able to reconcile this reality with human error that He permitted. But, when you look at it, a Christian must always be changing. It pains me when I hear this not to be the case. Recently, I heard about one area where people were saying, ‘if a woman ever gives a sermon, then I’ll walk out’. Or another where a youth is going away to a Christian school, but where someone told her that she wasn’t supposed to expect to go away and learn and then come back and expect her church to change how they worship. Wow! Aren’t those both Christian attitudes expressed? I am speaking with a very big tongue planted firmly in my cheek! Christians must be prepared to change, and the WCG has followed God and has changed. You’ll have major changes, possibly in work, houses, income, health, and the like.