As humanity developed, they began to wonder why certain things happened the way they did – why it rained at different times, why seasons changed, why seeds planted in the ground became edible plants, why the bright light appeared every day, day after day, year after year. They began to think that a greater being than themselves surely must exist – gods – who were responsible for causing these things to happen. Over time, they began to believe that these gods required worship in order to continually bless them with rain, sun, good crops, etc. When things were bad, it meant greater worship was required, greater sacrifice, even to the point of sacrificing one’s first-born son. What a fun time to live…
Abraham lived back then. His worldview reflected his time and culture. If asked about relating
to the gods, Abraham would probably recount some of the things above. So, when God told Abraham to take Isaac and sacrifice him (Genesis 22), it made sense to him, because that’s what gods want as remuneration for blessings given and promised. Naturally, Abraham complied.
As the story goes, just as Abraham was about to end Isaac’s terror (BTW – how did this mess with Isaac’s psyche?), God showed up and told Abraham to stop. God commended Abraham for his faithfulness, and then drew his attention to a nearby bush, where a ram was trapped – a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. God taught him an important lesson – God is a provider. This communicated to Abraham that God cannot be bought, is not wanting to be appeased, and is definitely not interested in human sacrifice! Jesus devotees quickly see the allusion to Christ’s work on the cross – a sacrifice offered by God – a substitute for our own life. We learn from that event a similar lesson – God is the source of our redemption and restoration, not our works, worship, or words. But something else is messing with my attention…
I wonder how difficult it was for Abraham to drop the knife.
That may sound idiotic – what father would have such trouble? But if you’re a man of conviction and integrity as was Abraham, and every influence leading up to that point is telling you to go through with the sacrifice, dropping the knife may not have been so easy. You can almost hear the mental battle going through his mind: “I think this God is telling me I don’t have to slay Isaac. But that’s ludicrous. Of course I have to kill Isaac – that’s what gods want. The only reason I’m hearing this is because I don’t really want to sacrifice Isaac. But if I don’t, I’ll be guilty of disobedience. Do I trust the voice telling me to stop, which is contrary to everything I’ve been taught to believe, or do I follow through with destroying this life, which is the only way I’ve ever known?”
There’s our challenge.
Do we follow through with what God is calling us to do – which is quite different, deeper, healthier, liberating, and life-giving than anything I’ve ever known? Or do we follow through with what we’ve been taught, which leads to destruction?
I know that dropping the knife wasn’t easy for Abraham because it isn’t easy for me.
Don’t call Child Protective Service yet – I haven’t tried to kill my son. But I am very aware of how difficult it is to follow God when so many of the shaping forces in my life have instructed me in other ways. My culture tells me to Consume! Consume! When my God is telling me to Steward! Steward!
My culture encourages hedonism. My God instructs wise moderation.
My culture suggests that sex is recreation, and may lead to a loving relationship if I might be interested in commitment. My God tells me that a loving marriage relationship is where I find re-creation at its best, and that sex’s beauty is most fully experienced when rooted in lifelong covenant.
My culture suggests that my worth is directly related to my body fat percentage. My God tells me I am greatly valued just as I am.
My culture, ironically, encourages me to eat like a pig – or maybe a goat – whatever, whatever quantity, however wasteful. My God instructs me to treat my body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit – with great, careful consideration.
My church culture tells me that a good Christian looks a certain way, thinks a certain way, votes a certain way, etc., and that I should work hard to look the part. My God instructs me that if I love God and love others, pretty much everything else falls into place.
These culturally promoted behaviors are knives that kill and destroy that which we dearly love – ourselves, our spouse, our children, our neighbors, even our environment.
What would have happened if Abraham slayed Isaac anyway, just to be safe? We would read the story and say, “Abraham, you idiot, you just destroyed Isaac, bringing immense pain to yourself and others for no reason at all! Shame on you!”
But we do this all the time. Is it possible that while we confess our love for God, our lives embarrassingly much more reflect what we’ve been taught by our culture and time? Perhaps it’s time for us to drop the knife.
As we journey through life with Christ, maybe we should entertain a few questions along the way... What is the knife that you hold? Or, maybe more accurately, what is the kinfe that holds you? What might knife-free living look and feel like? How difficult will it be to drop the knife? What is your motivation to drop the knife?
Benediction...
May you become aware that God is bigger and better than you’ve been taught. May you hear/see/read/sense God’s ever-present communication that challenges you to cease destructive beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. May you, as Abraham, sense full life waiting to be grasped, muster the courage to go against the limiting constructs you’ve been taught, and drop the knife.
Think…
- What was God’s primary lesson for Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his son?
- Why did God’s call make sense to Abraham?
- What about God’s lesson was difficult theologically – what was the new belief Abraham was challenged to embrace?
- What about God’s lesson was difficult practically – what new behavior was being encouraged based on the new belief?
- What shaping forces have formed your understanding of life, God, ethics – everything?
- How have you evaluated the beliefs those forces have instilled in you? How are those beliefs similar to God’s identity and ethos? Different? Which do you want? Are you willing to do the difficult task of dropping the knife?
- Do we follow through with what God is calling us to do – which is quite different, deeper, healthier, liberating, and life-giving than anything I’ve ever known? Or do we follow through with what we’ve been taught, which leads to destruction?
- Consider why you do what you do: your budgeting, your work ethic, your relationships, your parenting, your physical fitness – everything. Discern what’ you’ve been taught. Compare that to what you discover about God’s call. Drop the knife - choose God! Expect the change to create internal (and perhaps external) struggle. Stick with it (and get support!). Live the life you were created to live.
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