Saturday, February 1, 2025

Today's Scripture
Genesis 22:1–18

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” (NRSV)

Reflection

Today’s is a tough passage, one that leaves those people who believe in a just and loving God with their mouths hanging open. When I read it, I wished this devotion could be passed on to one of our pastors for writing. I mean, they’re very smart and have gone to school to examine scripture from many different angles. Maybe one of them could better handle this primal, gory Bronze Age stuff.

But it has fallen to me to examine and ponder, like many other things as a person of faith. Things like how Christians can find so many things to fight about with each other. Like how we misinterpret even Jesus’ most boiled-down commandment, “Love thy neighbor.” How a God of love can order the violent sacrifice of even the most beloved son.

The verb in the first line here pops out at me. “Test.” Our own faith is tested daily, in ways large and small. It’s been tested for all believers, going back 6,000 years to our patriarch in faith. In many parts of Genesis, Abraham hems and haws at God’s instructions, wriggling as God asks more and more. Here at Mt. Moriah, Abraham is tested in the most heartbreaking way, yet he appears to have stopped wriggling. “Here I am,” he says, unable or unwilling to hide anymore. Yet if he kills his only son — a son of miraculous birth — Abraham’s family line is ended. Three nations of faith are snuffed out at the start.

Sometimes our faith is a comfort. Sometimes it is a challenge, a difficult decision, a heartbreaking choice. And most times, we can’t know the outcome, just as Abraham didn’t know during this heart-wrenching three-day journey.

Prayer
Creator God, I love you and try and do the work you’ve given me, but my understanding can be limited, if not completely faulty. Forgive me, help me, and guide me to follow your will above all. Amen.

Written by Jim Garner, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email