Day 18 of my 30-day writing challenge / Summer in the Psalms
Guest writer: Mimi Otani
This post from my church’s summer sermon and reflection series links Psalm 13 and Genesis 22:1-14, two lectionary readings from Sunday, July 2, 2017.
Reflect
God himself calls Abraham a righteous man (Genesis 15:1 – 6). Nevertheless, God commands him to slaughter his own son, Issac. Yet Abraham does not ask questions, but simply prepares to sacrifice Isaac.
Ultimately, God did not require Abraham to complete the sacrifice of his only son. He allowed Abraham to demonstrate faith through his willingness alone. Issac’s sacrifice foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus, for Isaac was Abraham’s son and Jesus is God’s Son. However, God did not spare his only, beloved Son, sending Jesus to die in atonement for the sin of all humanity.
It would be outrageous for us to sacrifice our children as a token of faith in God or in exchange for someone else’s life. Humans are limited by God’s physical laws, by time and space; and our love also has boundaries and limitations. But God’s love is unrestrained and he shows it in ways that are beyond our ability to fathom.
What can we learn from Abraham? We, too, can place our faith in the boundless love of God, even when things don’t seem to make sense or while we’re waiting for God to act. As David sang in Psalm 13:5, we can choose to trust in God’s steadfast love and rejoice in his outrageous gift of salvation.
Respond
Listen to “Stand in Awe,” a song about God’s atoning love for us through Jesus.
Take some time to stand in awe before the Father who loves you more than you can fathom. Give your adoration to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Note: Mimi Otani’s nonprofit, Crazy4Jazz, brings live jazz shows and other art performances to residents of nursing homes, hospices, hospitals and other institutions while also providing performing opportunities and modest compensation to New York City’s artists.