Following God can be challenging. God does not disclose every event of our lives before they happen. As believers, we walk by faith, not by sight. Just like everyone else, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We can trust that God knows what He’s doing even when we can’t see it or understand it.

Abraham’s life serves as an assurance that we can trust God even when His plans seem unclear. Abraham had waited 25 years for God to give him a son. I can only imagine how much joy Abraham experienced when his son Isaac was finally born. The son through whom God was going to bless all nations had arrived. Then, in a head-scratching turn of events, God asked Abraham in Genesis 22 to offer up his beloved son as a sacrifice. How did Abraham respond? With confusion? With doubt? I would certainly think most of us would respond like that. Genesis 22 shows us that Abraham responded with faith and obedience.

Throughout the Bible, faith and obedience go together like best friends. You never have one without the other. True faith is expressed by true obedience. Genuine obedience reveals genuine faith. Abraham’s obedience to God’s commands revealed the genuineness of his faith. He had so much confidence in God that he was convinced that God could raise his slaughtered son if needed. As the story unfolds, we find that God kept Abraham from laying a hand on his son. God spared Isaac and provided a substitute for him. God’s faithfulness to Abraham reminds us that God can be trusted, even when we can’t see or understand what He’s doing.

This passage should also make us think of another Son who was slain as a substitute for sinners. This Son was Jesus. Though God spared Isaac, He did not spare His own Son. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). When we aren’t sure what God is doing, let’s remember what He has already done for us. He gave up His Son for us. Because of this, we can be confident that He will continue to give us all we need (Romans 8:32). We may not always know what God is doing, but we can always trust Him because of what He has already done. God has been faithful. He will continue to be faithful. Therefore, we can trust Him.

Resources:

• Why Did God Ask Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac? –Article by Andy Patton

• Kill Me a Son: The Beautiful Scandal of Abraham’s Sacrifice –Article by Glen Scrivener

• What’s It Like to Be a Christian? Faith, Obedience, and Living as Strangers –Sermon by David Mathis

Reflection Questions:

• How does Abraham’s obedience reveal his faith in God’s promises?

• How does the sacrifice of Jesus help you trust God through times of uncertainty?

• Would you consider memorizing Isaiah 53:5?