One of my favorite chapters of any book I've ever read is titled "The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing" in A. W. Tozer's book The Pursuit of God. In it Tozer uses the story of Abraham being directed by God to take his only son (Isaac) and sacrifice him to picture what God Himself would do with His own Son, Jesus (see Genesis 22). Tozer brilliantly demonstrates how the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham forced Abraham to assess his own heart as to what he really treasured and who he really trusted. As you probably know God stopped Abraham from killing his son and provided a ram to take his place. Tozer wrote this of Abraham:
"I have said that Abraham possessed nothing. Yet was not this poor man rich? Everything he had owned before was his still to enjoy: sheep, camels, herds, and goods of every sort. He had also his wife and his friends, and best of all he had his son Isaac safe by his side. He had everything, but he possessed nothing."
Abraham so trusted God and His promises that he was convinced God would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). For Abraham, God had demonstrated His faithfulness all through his life and even when asked to make the ultimate sacrifice he was willing to trust Him. God had trained Abraham to see things/possessions as objects to be used, not possessions to be treasures of the heart. God was all he needed!
How about us? During the materialistic madness of our day and especially during this season of the year we should ask ourselves what/who is our greatest treasure? Could we sincerely pray "Father please do whatever necessary to make Jesus the greatest treasure of my life." Here's the prayer Tozer closed this chapter with:
"Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
His Kingdom Come!
Skip
wvBc
