Well, we actually have three chapters in a row of faithfulness. No one has messed up, altering the course of history through their impatience or fear.
I can’t imagine Abraham’s full reaction to God’s request. Sacrifice Isaac? The son you made me wait for all those years? Sarah’s laughter and joy? Seriously?
Was he angry? He must have been confused at the very least. Did he struggle with it? Did he question the years of dedication to this God, if this is what he was going to ask?
We don’t know. What we do know is that he obeyed. He rose early, and he obeyed.
We’re allowed to be angry and afraid. We’re allowed to question God, as long as we do so with respect and humility. That’s part of any relationship. What matters is how we express ourselves and, ultimately, how we behave.
As they travel to the place of sacrifice, Isaac asks his father about the absence of the lamb. Abraham tells him that God will provide. Was he lying to keep the boy, and his servants, from objecting? Did he believe this was just a test even before that was revealed, or did he believe God would raise the boy back from the dead once he was sacrificed? Or, was he just trying to avoid thinking about it himself?
All we can do is speculate. All we can do is imagine how we would feel in that situation. And I find that comforting, because it tells us that when it comes down it, when it comes down to the final account of our lives, what matters is the choices we made. What matters is that we worked through the doubt and the anger and stepped out in faith. I can be nervous. I can be uncertain. I can close my eyes and hold my breath, but as long as I take that leap it’s obedience, it’s faithfulness.
It’s pretty simple. It’s pretty straight forward.