11 March, 2025
Thought for the day…Genesis 22:2-5 NKJV[2] Then He said, “Take now 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 of which I shall tell you.” [3] So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. [5] And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
In Genesis 22:5, we encounter one of the most profound displays of faith in the entire Bible. As Abraham prepares to obey God’s unimaginable command to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, he demonstrates a remarkable trust in divine promise. When he tells his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and *we will come back to you*,” we see a reflection of his steadfast conviction.
Abraham’s words are laden with faith; he confidently asserts that both he *and* Isaac will return. This statement is remarkable because he is painfully aware of what God has asked him to do. His faith, however, transcends his circumstances. Abraham trusts that God, who miraculously provided Isaac in the first place, is also capable of either reviving him or providing an alternative for the sacrifice.
This brings us to a critical point: faith is not the absence of doubt but the willingness to act in the face of it.I think that sentence bears repeating.
Faith is not the absence of doubt but the willingness to act in the face of it.
Abraham’s journey to the distant mountain mirrors our own spiritual journeys, where God often calls us to steps of faith that seem insurmountable. Like Abraham, we may face trials that test our trust in God’s promises.
In our modern-day lives, we are called to hold onto God’s promises, even when the path before us is unclear. Let us draw inspiration from Abraham’s unwavering faith. By claiming and expressing our trust in God, we can face our own challenges with courage and a spirit of worship. As we reflect on Abraham’s faith, may we be encouraged to say, “We will go yonder and worship,” knowing that God is with us on our journey, no matter the outcome.
