Letting Everything Go

Author: Joseph

Date: March 25, 2018

After many years of anticipation, Abraham and Sarah finally had their first child together, Isaac. A long-awaited promise had been fulfilled, and Abraham and Sarah were filled with joy.

"Abraham experienced a moment of shock and dismay..."

Soon after Isaac had grown and was weaned, Ishmael began to make a mockery of him and tease him, even though he was much younger than him. Sarah, witnessing this, told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away. She was asking him to disown them. Abraham had hoped that Ishmael would remain since he was his firstborn son (even though he was not the son of promise), but could not allow Ishmael to abuse Isaac and also be permitted to do so by Hagar. Greatly distressed, Abraham agreed to do as Sarah had requested and what was confirmed by God. Ishmael and Hagar were sent away. Abraham had to give up his firstborn son and his maiden.

Hagar and Ishmael were gone, and then God made one more request of Abraham – to sacrifice the son of promise, Isaac. Abraham experienced a moment of shock and dismay, and remorsefully gathered himself, Isaac, and the supplies they needed to do as God had asked.

Ishmael was not the son of promise, yet Abraham still experienced loss in having to send him away. But now, the son of promise, the one through whom Abraham would have descendants as many as the stars and the sands of the seas, was to be taken away from Abraham.

What Abraham did not know, however, was that God was testing his heart of obedience to Him. After many faults with Pharaoh and Abimelech, God noticed that Abraham was easily swayed by fear. Abraham’s greatest fear, the loss of his promised son, was now being put to the test. God wanted to see if Abraham was truly willing to listen to Him, no matter what the cost.

Abraham, Isaac, and two servants set out on the journey to the mountain. When they arrived at the base of the mountain, Abraham said to the servants, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” What is important to see here is that Abraham said that he and Isaac would both return to the servants. Abraham eve before approaching the mountain believed that God would still keep His promise of Isaac as Abraham’s heir.

When Abraham and Isaac reached the top of the mountain, Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was, seeing that they had everything else but the sacrifice. Abraham then told Isaac that God Himself would provide the sacrifice for the offering. Abraham showed faithfulness again by believing that God would keep His covenant and provide a way to spare Isaac. Yet, at the top of the mountain, there was still no sign that God would provide.

Abraham raised his hand with the knife aimed down at his son and just before he thrust his hand down, an angel of the Lord appeared and stopped Him, stating that God had tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son. And just as Abraham had hoped, God had provided a sacrifice – a ram was stuck in a nearby thicket by its horns.

Sometimes God asks us to let go of things in our life. It could be something material like money, or something unseen like an opportunity, or a dream. We must be willing to let anything go for God. And when we do so, we must have faith that He will remember His promise to sustain us and to provide exactly what we need. Has God asked you to let go of something that you are still holding on to? While not everyone is asked to take extreme action like Abraham, we must be willing to do exactly as God instructs us if we are to live faithfully.

Bible Passage: Genesis 21:1 – 22:18

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB). www.lockman.org

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