Preparing for Easter: Breaking Free From Our IdolsSample

"Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him." (Genesis 21:2)

Few sentences in Scripture carry such weight. After decades of waiting, hoping, doubting, and scheming, Abraham and Sarah's son of Promise finally arrived.

The timing is significant: "...at the very time God had promised him." Not a day early. Not a day late. God's Promises operate on His Timetable, not ours. Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah was 90. From a human perspective, the timing seemed absurd. But from God's Perspective, it was perfect.

They named him Isaac, which means "laughter" - an appropriate name given Sarah's reaction when first told she would bear a son in her old age (she laughed in disbelief). Now, her laughter had transformed from skepticism to joy: "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."

I wonder what emotions flooded Abraham's heart as he held his newborn son. Relief? Joy? Wonder? Vindication? Perhaps all of these and more. After decades of waiting, the Promise had become reality.

But here's where the story takes an unexpected turn. This long-awaited Gift - this Miracle Child - created a new spiritual danger for Abraham. The very Blessing God had given him could become a barrier between Abraham and God.

I've seen this happen countless times, both in my own life and in the lives of others. We pray desperately for something - a relationship, a job, healing, a child - and when God finally provides, we gradually shift our devotion from the Giver to the Gift.

I remember praying for years to lead a church. When God finally opened that door, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. But within months, that gratitude had subtly morphed into possessiveness. I began thinking of it as "my church" rather than Christ's. I became defensive when criticized and prideful when praised. The very position I had prayed for had become an idol competing for the devotion that belonged only to God.

The things we wait for the longest often pose the most significant risk of becoming idols. Our emotional investment during the waiting amplifies the gift's significance.

Consider your own life. What have you waited for most desperately? A spouse? Children? Career success? Financial stability? Recognition? These blessings can quickly become central to our identity and security when they finally arrive.

Abraham faced this test with Isaac. After decades of waiting, this child embodied all his hopes for the future. Isaac represented the fulfillment of God's Covenant, Abraham's legacy, and his family's security. Everything depended on this one child.

And that's precisely where the danger lay. Abraham's hope had gradually shifted from God to God's Gift. His security rested not in God's Faithfulness but in Isaac's existence. His identity came not from being God's Chosen One but from being Isaac's father.

God saw this shift in Abraham's heart. As we explore tomorrow, God will take dramatic action to restore Abraham's proper priorities and free him from the idol he had created.

What about you? Has something you've waited for finally arrived in your life? Guard your heart carefully. Remember that every Gift, no matter how precious, is meant to direct your gratitude and devotion back to the Giver, not replace Him as the Source of your Hope and Identity.