The One-Year Bible - 9 January 2012

Readings:
Genesis 20:1 - 22:24
Matthew 7: 15-29
Psalm 9: 1-12
Proverbs 2: 16-22

Genesis reading: Sarai (now re-named Sarah) conceives, and finally bears Abram (now Abraham) a son, Isaac, the first in a line of many descendents that God has promised to Abraham.  Imagine the joy that Abraham and Sarah must have felt as they held their son, whom God had promised for many years.

Now imagine the anguish that Abraham must have felt when God told Abraham to take Isaac to a specified place, where he would be required to be sacrificed.  The Scripture does not record Abraham's struggle, but it must have been real and painful.  Yet Abraham obeyed God, showing great faith and believing that God would some make a way out.

The rest of the story is well-known (re-read the passage if you' forgotten).  But what is striking is where God declares his blessing on Abraham, because Abraham had not withheld his only son from God.  As Christians, we are mightily blessed because God did not withhold his only son (Jesus) from us.  It can also be argued that God would have deserved to have Isaac sacrificed to him.  We, on the other hand, did not deserve to have Jesus die for us.  Yet Jesus gave up his life, by his own free will, as the ultimate act of love for humanity.

What an awesome God we serve!