Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/179

 The work

great

161

Sacrifice of Isaac

God

for which, sooner or later,

calls

everyone

of us.

To everyone some

trials

We may

must come.

not realize

make our sacrifices and we, too, may doubt whether God has done this, or whether a just God could allow this misfortune or unhappiness or we may ask complainingly, "What have we done to deserve all this?" But if we would only think, "Perhaps God is trying us, to see how much of real faith and real manhood we have, and how fit and ready we are and we may

that they are trials,

rebel and refuse to





to

us



do the great and worthy tasks which He has in store for perhaps this, too, is for good, even though we can not

understand

fully", if

it

only

we would

think this,

it

would and

bear our burdens and grow stronger, better,

help us

wiser from

all

our

trials.

One other thought suggests itself. God has placed us here, we have learned, not for mere pleasure, but for a definite purpose, to do His work and make the world better and happier. God's purpose is sure. And we are the tools Now, have you with which He accomplishes His purpose. ever

stood

wield his

before

little,

the

watchmaker's

delicate tools

they barely seem to

move

so

shop,

and seen him

and so gently that

softly

or to feel his touch?

And

then

have you stood before the blacksmith's shop and ^seen him lift his heavy hammer aloft, with muscles stretched and taut, fly

in

and bring all

quiver?

it

down with

directions,

We

perhaps, the

all

his might, until the sparks

and both hammer and anvil ring and

are, all of us, the tools in little,

watchmaker's

tools,

God's hands, some,

which He wields so His touch, and our

and gently that we barely feel and sorrows are light and easily borne. And others are the blacksmith's hammer and anvil, with which He deals His mighty blows, and we, too, must suffer and writhe and But neither hammer nor anvil nor groan at the stroke. watchmaker's tool can know the purpose of its master, why softly

trials