Abraham and Isaac and God

This is one of the most frightening stories in Scripture and, as such, has been the object of
a great deal of study.
In Abraham's day, it was common for the pagan people who surrounded Israel to offer their first born as a sacrifice to the gods.
These babies were often buried in the foundations of the temples.
Some scholars suggest that this story was Israel's struggle against such infant sacrifice.

The story was a teaching tool, meant to show the Israelite people in a very graphic way that the God of Israel would never require human sacrifice.
While we may never know the total meaning of the story, one thing is abundantly clear.
We can believe that God is calling us to follow faithfully.
Only when we do this will we discover what God really has in mind for us.

Sometimes, when we believe we are being called and try our best to respond, we are completely unable to accomplish the task we feel called to do.
This is the time to remember Abraham.
Maybe God has something different in mind all along.
Like Abraham, all that is required of us is faithfulness to the call, and remaining open to the surprises God sends.