Genesis 21:1-7 "The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his gold age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God commanded him. Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me." And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
Genesis 22:1-10 "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of hte mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said "Here am I, my son." He said "Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. When they cam to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the alter there and laid the wood in the center and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the alter, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. "
I know the story doesn't end there, but my point does. So, if you are wondering what happens to Isaac, go read your Bible or visit a 3rd grade Sunday School class. The one thing about this passage of scripture that has always gripped me is how faithful Abraham was to God even when it came to giving back to God something so dear to his heart, something he had longed for and had been blessed with. When God asked the unthinkable from his servant Abraham, Abraham didn't argue or fret. No, he woke up early and he went without hesitation, and I am convinced that had the story ended where I left it, Abraham would have offered his only son as a sacrifice to God. I mean WOW. As a mother, I cannot imagine the agony this must have caused Abraham, yet he was faithful. When I read this account of Old Testament history, I always ask myself if I am willing to be faithful in the hard things. Now, I don't think that God is going to ask me to sacrifice my son, but that doesn't mean he won't ask me to do things that are gut wrenchingly hard. Do I trust God enough to be faithful in those things? Personally, I believe any faith that I have is given to me by God, so that gives me a little more assurance, but still I wonder.
I have two dear friends who have just been faced with a "hard thing" and one similar to the circumstance of Abraham in the fact that it seems they have been asked to give back to the Lord that which he had blessed them with. I hurt for these two friends, but at the same time I am so encouraged by them. They have reminded me that the way of Christ is not an easy road to walk, but that it is marked with great sacrifice... self-sacrifice. If we are not willing to make sacrifices for the one who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us, who are undeserving, then we should question which road we are really on. These friends have unknowingly been used to bring conviction to my own heart, showing me that God's Word is true, and we must obey His Word and the conviction it brings at all cost. I admire their quick response to the Holy Spirit's convictions on their heart. I say these things not to puff up the pride of these two friends, but to encourage them. Even though God may or may not provide the offering in their case, he is still faithful to those whom he has called, and in the end, even the hard sacrifices are more than worth it.
Are you willing to be faithful in the hard things?
