Faith

"God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." ~ Genesis 22:8

How did Abraham say that? I wish I could have been there to hear him. Hiding in the shrubs on the side of the mountain, watching them walk up to what was to be Isaac's certain doom, I wish I could have witnessed this moment, and heard Abraham's voice and saw Abraham's reaction as his son asked him "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:9).

We are told that Abraham, the man of myth, the man of legend, the father of three world religions, looked into his son's eyes, and with assurance and certainty and a voice that would echo through the ages replied "God himself will provide."

But what about Abraham, the man? What about Abraham, the father? How did he respond?

Was he able to look at his son, God's promise to him, with that same certainty? Or did he instead look to the ground sheepishly, avoiding his son's thoughtful, inquisitive gaze? Better yet--did he look to the heavens and say it as a prayer? Did his voice choke or crackle?

I'd like to think--and it might be just that, wishful thinking--but I'd like to think that he didn't say it with the certainty that maybe we've been taught. Instead, I'd like to think there was doubt. Perhaps not spoken, but in the back of his mind, I'd like to think that he was saying to God, "God, I sure hope you know what you're doing."

I'd like to think that Abraham was a little less like the man of fairytales, and a little bit more like, well, Chris.

That, of course, brings us to a larger question. What kind of faith does God reward? What does God ask for in faith? Is it absolute certainty? Unbridled passion?

The Bible tells us that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). But what about the reverse? What is works without faith? Futile? Disrespectful? Or "good enough"?

What if intellectually you're not all there--but behaviorally, you are? If you embark on a quest that God is calling you on and you're heart isn't exactly with it, but you do it anyway? Does God look favorably upon that? Or is that what faith is--acting out despite everything else?

Abraham was finally able to say "The Lord Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14). But did he believe that the whole time? As he held the knife above Isaac's head, and prepared to bring it down, did he do it with the same swift movement that you and I might employ to sit in our favorite chair, confident that it will support us? Or was there hesitation?

Did God reward Abraham because he went through with it despite his doubts? Or did he reward Abraham because there was an absence of doubts?

Was Abraham truly like the man of legends?

...or was he a little bit more like one of us?

So Abraham called the place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided." ~ Genesis 22:14