Where is the Wood?

Genesis 22

At first glance, God’s request of Abraham in Genesis 22 seems very bizarre, even out of character for God. Why would God ask Abraham to kill his own son? After all, we know from the previous chapters that Issac was a fulfillment of God’s promise. He was also the heir that would begin to fulfill the promise God made to Abraham to make him a great nation. And yet, Abraham does not question God or wait for Him to speak again to make sure he heard Him correctly. Instead, he “got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey.” He obeyed right away. What was going on in Abraham’s mind? 

We can see from the passage the Abraham had faith that God was going to spare Isaac’s life. He told the servants that “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you,” and when Isaac asked about the sacrifice, he told him that “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Hebrews 11:19 confirms this, telling us that “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead.” Abraham believed that God was faithful, and He was going to fulfill His promise through Issac. 

Sometimes God’s call in our life can feel like the death of what we love most, but it is often in that sacrifice that we find true joy and purpose. Nothing demonstrates this more than God sacrificing His own Son in our place so that we would know the fullness of joy in His presence.

Lord, forgive me for only focusing on what I seemingly lose by following you instead of what I grace-fully receive. The greatest prize of following You is You! Help me to persevere through the hardships of life by continually recalling my inheritance that I have from You through the sacrifice of Your Son. Amen.     

Family Connection: Discuss as a family what sacrifice means. Ask, “Who has made the ultimate sacrifice?” and “What was that sacrifice?”