The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1: 29, NLT
Read: Genesis 22: 1:18
If you are a parent, the very idea of being asked to kill your child seems unthinkable. Yet, God asks Abram whose name had now been changed to Abraham to sacrifice his long awaited son, Isaac, as a test of faith.
As a mother of two daughters, the mere thought of such a request gives me chills. And yet, God was not asking Abraham to do something that He was not Himself prepared to do!
There is a deeper purpose under God’s request of Abraham. A test of this kind has the capacity to uncover our motivation for worship–our motivation for following God. Do we worship God for the benefits that He gives us? When discipleship requires us to sacrifice the very thing we cherish, are we prepared to still serve God?
As we were discussing Adam and Eve a couple of nights ago, our family talked about the outcome of sin that God described to the fallen pair. This was not about punishment handed down by a merciless God. Rather it was an description of the consequences of their actions.
During our discussions, my younger daughter asked a thoughtful question:
Why didn’t God just tell them about all these problems that sin would cause BEFORE they sinned?
Surely, that would have been more helpful. Right? Actually, I don’t think so. Obedience based on fear of the consequence of wrong doing or to simply receive the benefits of followership is shallow and wishy washy obedience.
God desires a relationship with us that is based on love for Him–plain and simple. God wants us to go all in with our love for Him (See Matt. 27: 37-39) Why? Because He is a God who is willing to go all in for us (See John 3:16).
As Abraham raises the knife to kill Isaac, he is acknowledging that even his most precious possessions cannot come in the way of His love for God. When he does this, Abraham realizes that God had his back all along. An angel appears and stops his hand. And God provides a lamb in the thicket; it is His way of saying to Abraham.
I got you!
I will offer my own son as the ultimate sacrifice.
And as I have promised you, that son will come from your own lineage.
He is the God who provides.
REFLECT: Are you prepared to go “all in” for God? Is there something or someone that holds a place in your heart about your love for God?
Live deep; laugh much.
I help individuals create space and develop habits and strategies to live a flourishing life — one goal at a time.