Love always works harder
“Father?”
“Yes, my son.”
“The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burn offering?”
“God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”
And two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Though not recorded, I imagine the next conversation as this.
“Father?”
“Yes, my son.”
“Is there nothing that He can’t ask of you?”
“Nothing. My son. Nothing.”
How can a man come to this point of obedience and sacrifice?
When our hearts understand that we are saved by Grace alone – not by any of our works but by grace which came from the Father who did not withheld His Son His only Son – then there’s nothing that He can ask of us.
One lesson that I’m learning these days is that what’s more important than learning to die to myself and living for Christ is that I must first receive His grace and be fueled by it. Because love driven by grace works harder.
Calvin wrote in his Institute (1.2.1): “Until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience.”
My voluntary obedience and surrender must be driven by grace.
Because love always work harder.
Always.
