Conversation with Abraham and Isaac

As New Year's Day approaches, many of us kick off New Year's resolutions.  I've been considering resuming a Read the Bible through in a year-type plan.  YouVersion offers many to choose from.  I've used them before and enjoyed it (it can synch to various mobile devices also so you always have your reading plan and text with you).  As I pulled it up this morning to do some reading, I saw one of my notes from a previous time.  I wanted to share it as it still hits home for me.

Read Genesis 22:1-13.
Here are my thoughts from that passage.  I hope it is meaningful for you also as you begin 2012.

Abraham had to journey 3 days, knowing he would be sacrificing his son. At least 3 restless night's sleep as he thought about sacrificing his son. I can't imagine hearing God so clearly that I would be confident that is what He asked me to do.
Worse -- tieing up his son, and laying him on the alter, raising his knife, and finally being stopped. I can't imagine looking at my son's eyes as he tried to understand what I was doing to him.

I wonder if Isaac heard the angel of the Lord stop Abraham. I wonder what the conversation was like between dad and son on the journey home. I wonder what the servants thought as they listened in to that conversation.

I wonder what God, the Father, thought all those days, nights, and years as he knew what His ultimate plan was for His son. I wonder what it was like watching as they nailed him to the cross. I wonder what it was like as God knew that His angel wouldn't be commanding the soldiers to stop the crucifixion.

 I wonder what it would be like if I was talking to Jesus as I sin -- and explaining to him that it is because of my actions that he had to die. I wonder if I would be able to understand that my sin = Abraham tieing up Isaac...I tied Jesus to the cross.

The beauty is -- I didn't have to tie him there. He went willingly and lovingly.
I wonder what it's like to feel His arms wrapped around me, knowing that He loves me.....Nevermind, I know.