Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
….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. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Genesis 22: 2, 9-12 [NIV]
The account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 is an amazing test of faith. God had promised Abraham that a son Isaac would be born to his elderly wife Sarah, and sure enough it came to pass. Yet it seems that God wanted to test his obedience and faith and see whether Abraham would obey his command to give up as a sacrifice, the gift God had given him. It seems that Abraham was willing to obey God in this matter and God commanded his angel to intervene before Abraham could sacrifice his son.
Are you willing to accept that God gives and takes away? Are you prepared to hold nothing higher than the will of God? God is faithful and keeps his promises. Do you recognise that God created everything and everything belongs to him? How does that affect the things you offer back to God?
Creator God, help me to remember the truth that all things come from you – and help me to be generous in giving back to you whatever you ask from me. Let me hold nothing back from you. Thank you Lord that you always keep your promises. Amen.
Dave MacLellan
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