"Abe, you gotta gimme your son - it's important," He said.
Abe balked at the request. "Oh... ok...," Abe could barely utter out the words of consent. But he did.
He took his kid by the hand and walked up to the top of the mountain, his heavy footsteps betraying the huge dilemma in his conflicted heart; but he kept going.
"Dad, where's the burnt offering? We brought the wood and stuff, where's the lamb?" Ike tugged at the ends of his father's shirt, his face puffed red as he tried to move past the twigs and branches.
It tore the very core of Abe's heart. He was going to do something Ike wouldn't understand. He wasn't even sure if he understood himself.
But Abe knew he had to. He had asked him to, and He knew better than Abe did.
He prepared the bed of dried leaves and branches, and with his face damp with tears and sweat, his heart overwhelmed with sadness and still, bewilderment, he tied his obedient son onto the altar. It was painful beyond words, but if He'd asked for it, there has to be a world of reason behind this...
Abe braced himself for the blood and the look of betrayal on his dear boy's face.
"Stop it, Abe! I know you heart now - there's no need to do this anymore," one of His angels called out. Abe collapsed onto the ground - he was exhausted from the mental battle, from the long walk up the mountain... but so utterly, completely, thoroughly glad and grateful He spoke.
Then he saw it - a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. He grabbed it and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
"I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendents as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore... and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." - Genesis 22:15-19
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"Son, I need you to die for other people's sins - it's important," He said gently but firmly.
Jesus took this in quietly. "Oh... ok, dad." He could think of a million reasons to refuse, but He understood.
Didn't make anything easier, but He went on and obeyed.
He died like the ram caught by its horns - Innocent like the ram; caught in the thicket of our sins.
Father could've laid us at the bed of dried branches and give us the ending we deserve - but He didn't.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
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You And I
Shane & Shane
Clean I call you clean
I came to clean you and it's done
Here's a call to all who've felt disqualified to run
Pleasures flowing here and there
From my right hand
What's mine is yours
Come behold all of who I am
You and I will run
You and I will run forever
All is done
Come with what you do not have
And buy what's undeserved
Feast and drink, the bounties great
I know you hear
But have you heard
Have you heard
Clean!
I've called you clean!
"I am dirty"
Clean!
"So unworthy"
Clean!
"Dirty"
That's what I'm wanting
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"Cinny, I need you to give up something - it's important," He says.
-to be continued-
