Advent Day 5 - Isaac - Genesis 22:1-18

Abraham was a patient man. He waited almost a hundred years for God to fulfill his promise to make him a daddy. Can you imagine the excitement and love he must have felt when he finally held Isaac in his arms? The longer you have to wait for something, the more you appreciate it. Abraham must have been one proud papa.

When we found out our first child was going to be a boy, I was so thankful. My husband is the most amazing man, and I was so happy that we would be able to raise another amazing man, to give the gift of another Mr. Steady to the world. He would have someone to be his buddy, his little partner.

I can't imagine having a talk with God one morning and hearing him say, "Do you trust me? You know that son, the one I promised? Well, take a long hike and when you get to the top of the mountain I'm going to ask you to give him back to me..." 

Soul crushing.

Extreme loss.

Heaving, wracking sobs.

I can't imagine loving any boy more than I love my Bubba. I can't imagine saying goodbye in that way...because of something I did.

And yet, how much more infinitely must God have grieved the loss of his Son. His buddy. His partner. How painful was it to render a relationship where there was no sin, no arguments, no selfishness. Just perfect unity.

Earth crushing.

Epic loss.

Heaven rendered in two.

And He said goodbye, not once, but TWICE. Before the cross, the suffering, the turning of the back... There was a stable, some peasants and a little swaddled babe, laying helpless in a manger. Susceptible to tragedy, illness and the brokenness of men. The courage to let go -- I can't even begin to fathom. 

And yet I will try. I will try to see what God had, and what he gave up. For me.

All is Grace, 

Carie

Day 5  -  Isaac  -  Genesis 22:1-18

The Message (MSG)

22 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”

“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”

2 He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”

“Yes, my son.”

“We have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham said, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And they kept on walking together.

9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

12 “Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.”

13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

15-18 The angel of God spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear—God’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.”