Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. (Gen. 22:8)
PERFECTION IS A BEAUTIFUL THING. Who among us has not craved the mouth-watering decadence of a perfect meal, worked tirelessly to execute a flawless social event, longed for a blissfully dreamlike day at the ocean, or smiled inside and out when a work task is completed in stellar fashion? Whether in our private or professional lives, leisure, or work, there is great pleasure in that unique state of perfection.
Alas, though, moments of perfection are rare. Pasta occasionally gets cooked a bit beyond al dente; crazy family members have been known to act, well, crazy at weddings; expertly positioned beach umbrellas are uprooted by coastal winds; and typos contaminate clean pages of text. Perfection is hard to attain—except when we’re talking about faith and Abraham.
Abraham demonstrated absolute and unwavering faith when God directed him to offer his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering. As he prepared to do just as God asked, Abraham displayed extraordinary trust, obedience, and faithfulness in spite of the pain he felt. Consequently, God rewarded Abraham’s faith when He provided a ram for the offering.
I recall my home church’s VBS of 2013. The theme was “Mountaintop Experiences,” and the story of Abraham and Isaac was highlighted. Abraham exhibited perfect faith on Mount Moriah, a faith reaching heights like the most magnificent mountains.
His faith was a thing of beauty.
Strive in your spiritual life for perfect faith like that of God’s servant Abraham.
Hally Franz is a former high school guidance counselor, turned stay-at-home mom. She enjoys being a 4-H leader, church secretary, book club member, and traveler.
