In our scripture readings for Abraham and Sarah Sunday, God tests his agent Abraham twice for obedience. In both cases, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son – once where the survival of the son is promised in advance, and once where the survival of the son is arranged...just in time. His obedience establishes Abraham and his descendants as “God's chosen people,” chosen to show the rest of the world, the great blessings of obedience to God. And as we know from later in the story, in the same place where Abraham is tested, God himself sacrifices HIS son, providing the last sacrifice of a son required, for salvation....
I have a burning question about today's scripture reading....did SARAH know what Abraham's trip to Moriah was all about? Before they left, did SARAH have a tearful goodbye with Isaac, her oh-so-long-awaited miracle baby, that brought her such laughter and joy? One piece of evidence that Sarah was not on a need-to-know basis for the plan, was that Isaac himself also had no clue about the plan for his death, and a tearful goodbye from mom might have tipped him off – he was old enough to pick up on that. And another piece of evidence that Sarah wasn't included in the planning, was her vicious attitude towards her husband's son Ishmael, born of Hagar. To ensure that the future was bright for her son Isaac, Sarah commanded Abraham to do the painful task of sacrificing both Hagar and his son Ishmael to certain death in the wilderness. God's response? To shrug his shoulders and say, “you better do what Sarah tells you to, you still have Isaac, and I will make sure Ishmael survives to become a nation, like I promised.” Abraham obeys God and Sarah, and does the painful thing to Ishmael. But a plan to kill Isaac would work much better, if Sarah didn't know about it.
And by all indications, Abraham was prepared to obey the command to sacrifice Isaac. Only the last-minute call of an angel from God dissuaded him, because Abraham's faith was that solid. He was convinced that even if Isaac were killed, God would fulfil his promises in another way, possibly a second, even more miraculous son for Sarah. Abraham didn't second-guess or try to rationalize God's command, even though it made no logical sense. Abraham obeyed, and as a result, God confirmed him as THE patriarch – the head of the numerous families of God's chosen people, delivering blessing to the world.
So what gift have WE been given, that we value more than obedience to God the giver of the gift? What gift would we REFUSE to take to Moriah and sacrifice there, if God asked us? The presence of a daughter or son? The presence of grandchildren? An occupation? A favourite hobby? A substance or habit? A friend toxic to our faith? An investment or farm? A single-point rural parish where they treat the pastor and his family like royalty? Now, I'm NOT saying that God WILL ask for these gifts to be sacrificed, and I'm certainly NOT saying that God is ALREADY asking for these gifts to be sacrificed, unless we know they are sinful. I'm also NOT saying that our salvation depends on being able to make that sacrifice in the moment it is asked of us. But it is a valuable exercise in faith to ponder the question, in the hopes of strengthening our commitment to obedience. Because it is in obedience that maximum blessing occurs, both for ourselves and for the world.
And before we complain that the sacrifices God asks for are too large, we remember that God does not ask us for more than He himself has already done. In the land of Moriah will exist the city of Jerusalem and the hill known as Golgotha, where Jesus will obey his Father, and relinquish his life, and his Father will relinquish his Son. And the result of THIS obedience is the greatest blessing the world has ever known, the reconciliation of God and humanity, such that God and humanity will live together eternally. Through Jesus, the descendant of Isaac, all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because Jesus obeyed his Father's voice.
And now we, who in baptism have been made the adopted sisters and brothers of Jesus, we have been grafted into the family tree of Abraham, and have been called as God's chosen people to bring blessing to the world. We accept this call, and we know that through this call, we too, will be greatly blessed.
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, help us to respond to your commands, and free us from attachments that are against your will. Keep us strong in faith, such that we are willing to obey in all circumstances, to be a blessing, in Jesus name, amen.