The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 22:7-12, “Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ And he said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’
8 Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’
12 He said, ‘Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’”

Does a sports coach ever send a player into the game to test the player’s skills? Of course, he does! Does not the teacher of any discipline provide a test to determine the student’s ability to accurately respond. Of course, he does! It is precisely the same by which the LORD tested Abraham faith.

What Abraham does not know, however, is that this test that was real to him was also a precursor to God’s own offering of His Son Jesus, who, centuries later, went to the cross and suffered and died as His sacrifice for our sins, and for all who will believe on Him as their Savior and LORD, too.

You may ask, “Precisely, how does this work?” I can only say that it works by faith, by trust, in the same way many things work without our human understanding. Yet, the LORD accepts our trust, our faith, and allows us to benefit because we believe in Him.

At the point we exercise faith in His Son, He forgives our sin and declares us His child. I trusted Him at the age of 7. My daughter and one son trusted Him at the age of 5. He has revealed Himself to us in multiple ways since those experiences of trust. Why not give Him an opportunity with your life? Just ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life. You will be amazed at how He will change you! What have you got to lose by trusting Him?

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