Tough Stuff

I got a new Bible the other day and decided to start and the beginning and read straight through. But for the past couple days I have been putting off reading it…because I know what happens next. See, Isaac was just born and then a treaty was made with Abimelech…and I know what’s coming and I just haven’t been able to read it. I told myself just to read it today and be done with it. Sometimes when I read this story it is a beautiful picture and I love it…I can see the foreshadowing of the story of my savior as God calls Abraham to sacrifice his son. And other times, times like this week, I just don’t want to hear God ask Abraham to do something so unfathomable. And yet I know that because Abraham knows that God is holy he obeys and because God is love He provides. But it’s not like Abraham just woke up one morning and took Isaac up on the hill because God said to. No, it was a process…three days he journeyed with Isaac knowing what was coming. His son asked him about the lamb for a sacrifice…and Abraham had to answer. Don’t tell me God doesn’t call us to hard things. Don’t tell me “become a Christian and all your problems will be solved.” Abraham’s predicament came about because he knew God. I do believe that knowing Christ and obeying God are worth every moment of sacrifice to which we are called…but so often, and even today, it’s hard for me to understand the ‘why’ behind the calling. Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son; he already knew he would. Sometimes I wonder if it wasn’t for Abraham’s benefit—and for ours—that he was called to do this. That Abraham might better see the depth of his love for the God who had given him everything and that we might see an example of hard-core faith and be challenged to live out the depth of that obedience to our King.

Wake up little Isaac, rub your tired eyes
Go and kiss your mamma we’ll be gone a little while
Come and walk beside me
Come and hold your papa’s hand
I go to make an alter and to offer up my lamb

I waited on the Lord and in a waking dream he came
Riding on a wind across the sand he spoke my name
Here I am I whispered as I waited in the dark
And the answer was a sword that came down hard upon my heart.

Holy is the Lord
Holy is the Lord
And the Lord I will obey
Lord, help me I don’t know the way.

So take me to the mountain
I will follow where you lead
There I’ll lay the body of the boy you gave to me
And even though you take him, still I ever will obey
Maker of this mountain, please, make another way.