Mr. & Mrs. T. Abraham

It is such a joy to have an atmosphere of faith at home. Abraham's obedience was not only personal as an individual but also collective as a family. It is more difficult for a woman than for a man to leave a settled home life. Though the Bible does not clearly spell out anything concerning Sarah at this stage, it is well implied that she whole- heartedly agreed with Abraham when he told her of God's call to leave Ur. She embraced Abraham's call as her call too. We will have many more thousands ushered into mission fields if only the spouses would thus cooperate. Generally God calls the husband. The wife must follow her head. I cherish the phrase, "By faith Sarah also..."

Not only in the call of God to leave Ur but also in His commandment to offer Isaac, Sarah stood heartily with Abraham to obey God. Abraham's rising up early in the morning to go to the place of sacrifice was by no means to escape Sarah's knowledge! The Mount of Moriah was far off and it was only practical wisdom to commence the long journey by the early hours of the day (Gen 22:1-4). Sarah knew that if God could revitalise her dead womb, He was also able to resurrect her sacrified son (Heb 11:11).

Several young people have not been able to go into God's work because of the resistance from one or both the parents. Jesus took a serious view of this situation: "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones" (Lk 17:2). Blessed are the children who grow up in homes where obedience to God is the supreme priority. God foreknew and testified that Abraham would train his children also in obedience (Gen 18:17-19; Heb 11:9). Because Abraham was obeying God, Isaac obeyed his dad in cooperation. Otherwise which young man would agree to stretch himself to be bound and sacrificed? (Gen 22:6-9).

Let's emulate the example of Patriarch Abraham and Matriarch Sarah to bring up children in obedience. In this world where people desire knowledge rather than obedience, what we need is more of obedience than knowledge. Without trusting a person it is not possible to obey him. Without faith there is no obedience. Faith becomes useless without obedience. For family life, faith and obedience are like wings to a bird.

Faith begets faith, and obedience begets obedience!