Abraham’s Focus

Abraham was focused, not on what he had, his wealth or blessings but on God and this can be seen so clearly when we read Genesis 22. I always try to ask a different question whenever I read any chapter in the bible and this time, I was wondering what Abraham was thinking and feeling throughout this chapter.

After so many years of waiting for the blessing of a child with his wife Sarah and finally being blessed with this child, God told Abraham to go and sacrifice the only son he loved. A son, that God had promised to be a blessing not just to Abraham but to his generation. What was Abraham thinking when God told him this? How was he feeling after hearing this from someone he trusted so much?

I know what I would have thought and done, had God asked me to do something like this. I would have concluded that God did not love me there and then. I would have wept, begged, told everyone about the unfairness of it all, and probably refused completely to do it. To sacrifice a child that came into their lives after such a long time just sounds so unfair but God is God and he always has a reason behind everything. The scripture says this was a test of Abraham’s faith and as we read through the scriptures we realize that Abraham passed this test with flying colours of course not knowing that this was a test.

Abraham reacted completely opposite to how most of us would have reacted. There is no mention of Abraham complaining about God’s instruction or trying to find a way around it. Rather, in vs 3, we are shown how Abraham got up the next morning, loaded his donkey, and took with him his two servants heading to the mountain in obedience to God’s instruction. No wonder Abraham is known as the father of faith.

One thing I learn from these verses is Abraham’s focus on God rather than on his feelings at that time. No loving father can just proceed to sacrifice their child without feeling any pain or sadness but Abraham rather focused on God, obeying and believing Him, no matter how painful the instruction was. We also see that he did not mention this to his wife, servants, or even Isaac. He was determined to focus on and obey God and was not going to let anyone talk him out of it. I can’t say whether he was right or wrong in doing this but this definitely helped with not being swayed from his goal.

On the third day of their journey, they finally saw the mountain that God instructed him to go to and Abraham departed from his servants and proceeded to go alone with Isaac, carrying with him the wood for the burnt offering. Again, I was wondering what Abraham was thinking at this point. Three days in and he was still proceeding with this. I probably would have tried to go back home at this point. He was focused regardless of the journey and the distance. Focused on his obedience to God. Focused on who God is and on what He was capable of.

Even when Isaac asked him about the lamb for the burnt offering in vs 6, he did not waver. He responded that God himself was going to provide the lamb for the burnt offering and even went ahead to build an altar, arrange the wood, bind Isaac, and lay Isaac on top of the wood when they got to their destination regardless of how he was feeling. Once again, what was Abraham thinking at this place and time? Having his own son lying in front of him ready to be sacrificed with God’s promise at the back of his mind that he was going to be the father

of many nations. At this point, most of us will probably be questioning the accuracy of God’s promises and if God actually loved us to allow us to go through something like this if we were in Abraham’s shoes. However, our father of faith still did not waver. He was focused, tunnel visioned, determined and set on obeying God.

Here also, we can learn from Abraham’s unyielding faith and trust in God. To the point where he was just a few seconds away from putting a knife to his son’s throat. He trusted the person who gave him this child even in his and his wife’s old age, at a time when it was generally considered impossible for any woman to conceive and even give birth. He trusted the one who promised him that he was going to be the father of many nations. He knew this was going to be fulfilled even if Isaac was no more. He knew that God was always with him and God’s plans were always better than his plans and he knew God would never leave him nor forsake him. He had so much confidence in God and I pray the holy spirit fills us all with this level of confidence always.

We may never know exactly what Abraham was thinking, but one sure thing I have learnt from this man is the need to focus on God. To have a focused mindset and attitude when it comes to God. Everything around us might seem horrible, terrible even but like Abraham chose to look unto God rather than his feelings, I am encouraged today to focus on God regardless of my feelings and circumstances. He is God after all. All-knowing, all-powerful, all-present God. He knows the beginning from the end, He is the impossibility specialist and is the source of all power, knowledge, wealth, and health. The more we focus on God and obey him, the more every other thing in comparison shrinks in importance and severity.

As the chapter progresses, we see in vs 10 that when Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son, a replacement sacrifice was provided in the form of a ram, thus preventing Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac. Hereafter, God blessed Abraham and swore to make his descendants as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore among many other blessings because Abraham did not withhold Isaac from God.

This passage may look far-fetched and not relatable but there are circumstances in our lives where God calls on us to let go of certain things, places, or people that we love so much. Are we willing to let go and focus on God and obey him or do we want to hold on to what we love so dearly? I pray these scriptures are our guide in times like this. There may also be times when we are in so much pain about one thing or the other and can’t seem to focus on anything else but the pain. Let these scriptures encourage us, just like Abraham, to focus on the ultimate source of all our heart desires, God, no matter what we are thinking or feeling. It’s not so simple but the Holy Spirit is there to help us. So help us, God! Amen!