Watching the Sacrifice.
By John Nevins Andrews
WHEN Abraham asked a token of the Lord that he should actually inherit the land, he was bidden to offer a certain sacrifice. He made the offering as directed, but no signs of God's acceptance appeared. What did Abraham do? Did he become weary of waiting on God? Did he say that he had done what he could and that it availed nothing? That he was discouraged to find no response, and that he should never act in that manner again? Far from it. He had entered upon something worth all that it could cost, and that was sure to bring the wished for result, if he could only wait long enough. The sacrifice needed watching. Abraham needed just exactly the task of doing that watching. He spent a whole day in doing it. For the vision in which God conversed with him was in the night season, as shown by the fact that Abraham was taken forth abroad, i. e., out of doors, to see the stars. When the vision ended, we may safely conclude that Abraham immediately prepared and offered the sacrifice. But it was not till the going down of the sun that the desired token was granted. So the whole livelong day Abraham watched his sacrifice and waited for the hand of God to appear. See this remarkable story in Gen. 15. What a lesson for our admonition. God bids us to present ourselves, and all that we have, a living sacrifice to him. Perhaps we make the sacrifice. Whoever is soundly converted, must do this very thing in order that God may thus accept him. But how few, having made this surrender of self to God, do thenceforward watch the sacrifice to see that it is not removed from the altar. How few, alas, do not rob the altar with their own hands. Having once given all to God, they break their solemn vows and take back, piece by piece, what they had solemnly devoted to God. Consider Abraham watching his sacrifice through weary hours. There was a man faithful to God. But how few have the spirit that was in him. "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the work of Abraham." John 8: 39. It is ours to make the unreserved surrender of all to God. It is his to reward our sacrifice. But it is for us to wait his time. The time our God appoints is best. The waiting is for our benefit, not the Lord's. We shall wait not one moment beyond what is strictly necessary. But who of us shall thus prove our fidelity? Who of us shall receive for our reward the things which God hath prepared for him that waiteth for him? Isa. 14: 4. J. N. A.