The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 22:1-6, “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will 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 wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.’
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.”

Were you ever told to do something that just didn’t make a lick of sense? What did you do? I always argued about it. Did what you were told to do ever come to make sense? For my part, it did.

Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had been promised a son from the LORD. Time went by and Abraham turned 100 years old. Sarah turned 90. Even in that ancient era, children were not born to people of that old. But, God had not forgotten His promise; and at His appointed time, Isaac was born to the previously childless couple.

About 30 years passes, and the LORD orders Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Notice that Abraham did not argue with God. Had God not given Isaac to Abraham as He promised? Surely, if Isaac were to die, God could raise him from the dead. After all, was Abraham not “dead” to human reproduction when the LORD gave him Isaac? Thus, Abraham believed God yet again.

Many years later, the prophet Samuel said, “‘Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

Is prayer a delight to the LORD? Of course! Do you pray? Is faith something the LORD wants of us? Yes, it is! Do you believe what He says to you through His Word? If you do, you will obey Him. Remember, “to obey is better than sacrifice…”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom