Laura’s questioning
Laura Digan
September 09, 2022
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Genesis 22: 1-19 (NRSVA)
1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 2 He said, ‘Take 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 that I shall show you.’ 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ 8 Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.
9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lordcalled to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’ 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.
Reader note: This week Laura takes us through the story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar with some hard-hitting monologues and reflections that explore some darker and more sensitive themes of the stories of these complex characters.
I really dislike this story.
It goes against EVERYTHING I believe about God.
I don’t believe that God would ask Abraham to do this.
In my heart I believe that Abraham has heard wrong, that God didn’t ask him to sacrifice his child. Abraham was mixed up, confused. Perhaps even he was hearing the voice of the devil.
But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe God was testing Abraham, testing him to see just how obedient he was, testing how much he loved God. And maybe God always intended Isaac to live, for he had promised that Abraham would be the Father of nations through Isaac. Maybe all God wanted was for Abraham to know within himself just how far he was willing to go for God. And Abraham proved he was willing to give up that which was most precious to him if God asked it.
Maybe it isn’t the story I dislike. Maybe it is because it highlights to me that there are limitations to what I will sacrifice for God. There are still non-negotiables in my life that God cannot touch. Maybe what I dislike is that where God calls us and how God calls us doesn’t always make sense to us. Maybe what I dislike is that this story makes me question what I will sacrifice for my values and my beliefs. I want to live in a world where there is justice for all, where there is enough for everyone and all life on this planet is well cared for. I want my grandchildren to inherit a world that is healthy. Where the environmental pressures are no longer an issue. How far am I willing to go to make this a reality? What am I willing to sacrifice?
PRAYER:
Lord God
You are a mystery
Your greatness is beyond what we can fathom
Your power beyond our understanding
Help us to walk in your way
To trust and obey
Where you are leading us
Even when it is uncomfortable
Give us the courage to keep going
The understanding to let some things go
The humility to accept we don’t know all the answers,
But that you do.
For you Lord exist outside time and space
You are the beginning and the end
In you we place our hope
In you we trust
Amen
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