Walking Into the Unknown

 

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:1-8 ESV).

 

Several years ago, while visiting Cade’s Cove in the Smoky Mountain National Park, I found myself on a short trail walking toward the John Oliver Cabin. It’s a short walk from the parking area and there are two choices of trails. One is a paved walkway while the other takes you through the woods on a less traveled path (pictured here). I decided on this trip to take the less traveled path. My hope was to stop along the way and take a few photos of the trees and any wildlife I might see along the way. There are always lots of birds and butterflies at that time of the year in the Cove. And, of course, the hope is that you might see one of the many black bears that make this area their home.

 

As I read from our Scripture this morning, I remembered that little hike. It was far different than the one God told Abraham to take with his son Isaac to the region of Moriah. God had already told Abraham to sacrifice him as a burnt offering on a mountain there. Abraham obeyed. Reaching the mountain, they slowly climbed to “the place God had told him about.” Isaac noted that they had no lamb for the burnt offering, but Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Abraham then bound his son and placed him on the altar. But as Abraham took the knife to sacrifice his son, God stopped him, saying, in effect, “Now I know that you trust me above all else.” This was certainly unknown territory for Abraham, but he trusted God to provide the lamb in place of his son. We would do well to trust God as we walk into our own unknown!