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- Apr 25, 2006
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God Of The Give And Take Away
'Abraham ... was called God's friend' James 2:23
Friendships don't seem to work when you're stuck in one that seems to be all one-sided. They tend to end up in right old barneys fit for the Rovers Return, 'Know what, you sad old mare? I'm what's called a giver - you on the other hand just take, take, take!'
God is definitely a giver. He wants to give us more than we could ever dream or imagine. And boy, do we wanna grab hold of those b-for-blessings: 'Ta very much Lord, don't mind if I do!
Yep, God's a great mate!' But what about when God takes away? What's up with that? We don't wear our God Squad badges with quite so much pride then, do we? Let's have a gander at God's mate Abraham.
God stripped a lot away from him: 'Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you' (Gen. 12:1-3 TM).
Abraham had to leave everything he knew and loved in order to gain something that he hadn't even seen - and that he didn't even know if he wanted. But Abraham knew he could trust God. He knew that God knew him better than anyone and he knew that he would want what God wanted him to have.
It's hard to see blessings when God takes things away. It's hard to have faith in the unseen but, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make you paths straight' (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV).
written by Bob Gass
'Abraham ... was called God's friend' James 2:23
Friendships don't seem to work when you're stuck in one that seems to be all one-sided. They tend to end up in right old barneys fit for the Rovers Return, 'Know what, you sad old mare? I'm what's called a giver - you on the other hand just take, take, take!'
God is definitely a giver. He wants to give us more than we could ever dream or imagine. And boy, do we wanna grab hold of those b-for-blessings: 'Ta very much Lord, don't mind if I do!
Yep, God's a great mate!' But what about when God takes away? What's up with that? We don't wear our God Squad badges with quite so much pride then, do we? Let's have a gander at God's mate Abraham.
God stripped a lot away from him: 'Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you' (Gen. 12:1-3 TM).
Abraham had to leave everything he knew and loved in order to gain something that he hadn't even seen - and that he didn't even know if he wanted. But Abraham knew he could trust God. He knew that God knew him better than anyone and he knew that he would want what God wanted him to have.
It's hard to see blessings when God takes things away. It's hard to have faith in the unseen but, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make you paths straight' (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV).
written by Bob Gass
