Genesis 22:1-18

God commanded Abraham, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Abraham did as he was instructed. His son Isaac asked, "The fire and wood are here...but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham replied, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Such faith in the midst of such a trial. Considering what Abraham had been told to do by God, this pronouncement of unwaivering faith on Abraham's part is almost bold.

The tension of the story begins to mount. "When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham! 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.' "

Isaac was spared at the last moment and not a second too soon. So the angel of God calls to Abraham and says, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

And so, God keeps his promise to Abraham. God asked for Abraham's most sacred treasure, his son. As I sat in church today listening to this scripture I couldn't help but here the Lord talking to me about my 3 precious angel babies. My priest, in his homily today said, "God asks for our most precious things, whether it be a child, a wife, an addiction, a hobby, a career, etc. He created humanity for Him, to serve Him."

He created us to be like him; in the world, but not of it. How do I translate this to my life? Like this: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you, Jenny, have done this and have not withheld your Tanner, your only son, your Allison and Gracie Mae, your only daughters, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

Today God clearly called me to let go of my most precious things, be obedient to Him and His will, and consecrate their lives to Him. My soul says yes, but my mind says no. Faith is the bridge that will close the gap between my body, which mistakenly thinks it is of this world, and my spirit, which knows I am only in it for a temporary, fixed time. I have faith I will be reconciled to God.

Jenny
Super Stepmom