Today's Reading: Genesis 22:1-14
Daily Lectionary: Exodus 2:1-22; Mark 14:32-52
“And 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.’”
(Genesis 22:5)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Faith believes. Faith trusts God. Faith knows that God is good. Not a doubt in the world, not for faith. Faith trusts that whatever befalls us, whatever happens, what goes on, God is going to make it all good for us.
God told Abraham that He was going to make of him a great nation. I know if I were Abraham, I would have doubted. Abraham and Sarah were old–really old, senior-citizen-old. Still, Abraham believed God. He trusted that God was going to do what He promised. Isaac was the child of that promise, given to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. Abraham believed God. He trusted God. He knew God was going to do what He said.
But then God tells Abraham to sacrifice the very son that He worked so hard to give to Him. I would have doubted, questioned God’s command. “But you just gave me this kid! Now you want me to kill him for you?”
But Abraham believed God. He trusted that God was going to work the whole thing out. He did what the Lord told him to do and took his son—his only son—up the mountain to be sacrificed. He told the servant that they would be right back, trusting that God would bring them both back—not just him. He told Isaac that God would provide the offering—the lamb.
Abraham built an altar. He put His only son Isaac on it. He raised the blade to strike down his only son. He was going to do it. I wouldn’t have. But Abraham was ready to do it because he believed that God was going to raise his son, or something. Faith doesn’t doubt. Faith believes.
Abraham was prepared to give up his only son, but God stopped him. God gave them another sacrifice—a ram. Then, just as Abraham said, He and his only son Isaac went down the mountain again together.
On another mountain, God Himself did what He asked Abraham to do: He sacrificed His only Son. For our sins, for our doubts, for our unbelief, God gave His only Son.
He suffered, not the quick blade of a knife, but the slow torture of beatings, the mockings, the crown of thorns, the nails, and crucifixion. No one calls out to stop His death. There is no alternative. Jesus must die in order to save us. He must be sacrificed or we will be lost.
And He rose after three days. All who believe in Him, who are in the faith of Abraham, rise from the dead in Him. After all, faith believes. Faith trusts God. Faith knows that God is good in Christ. Not a doubt in the world, not in faith. Faith trusts that whatever befalls us, even death itself, God is going to make it all good. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.