My Son

...God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.
 - Genesis 22

The account of Abraham's journey with his only son Isaac, to offer him up as an offering to God, per God's instructions, is wrought with pathos, and allusions to the future offering up of God's own, and only Son, on the cross.

As Isaac carried the wood for his own fire, so Christ carried the wood for his own crucifixion.

As Isaac was laid across an altar and tied down to it, so Christ was bound to the Cross.

As Isaac's father willingly proceeded to offer up his son, so God willingly offered His Son.

One act involved the obedience of a father, to God. The other involves the obedience of a son, to God.

I like to draw as many parallels as I can, between Christ and great heroes of the Old Testament. Abraham was the father of Israel. Jesus was the Father of the Church.

Abraham found favor, because he obeyed God. Christ found favor, because He obeyed God, the Father.

Isaac was Abraham's only son (of the promise, from out of a marriage). Jesus was God's only Son. Isaac was the second Son in order of birth. His brother Ishmael was born to a servant of Abraham. Jesus was the Second Son of God. His brother Israel was born from out of the Law, which bound us to sin and death.

But I love the words spoken from Abraham to Isaac. He said, with the innocence and trust of a child: "God will provide." And then he closes with, "My son."

We hear a lot of talk about the "culture of death" in Society today. We live in a throw-away world where anything that becomes inconvenient to us can be just disposed with: a marriage, a job, a friendship ("unfriend" on Facebook), a pregnancy. We make it all so very easy, and guilt-free. But there is also a "culture of Life." We worship life and youth. Yet . . . mortality is a given. It is a reality. In the end there's nothing we can do to extend our own lives. We worship life, and act like it never ends. But with the eternal view, by seeing things with the eyes of Christ, or of Abraham, we can act as though death really is not the end for us. We can take steps considered courageous, or even crazy: We can place our own child on an altar of sacrifice, fully prepared to finish the deed. During the Dark Ages, when people of faith were being persecuted and martyred all the time, the most faithful parents urged their young children to stand firm, and not to renounce their faith in Christ.

I heard about a Sunday School class, of middle aged people whose children had mostly reached at least the teen-aged years. The lesson was on obedience. The question came up: "What would you do if your child said he wanted to enter the foreign mission field?" To a person - at least those that spoke up - the response was "I'd try to talk him out of it." What? This is a statement that is decidedly lacking in faith.

When we get to eternity; when the day of Judgment has come and gone and we begin the life that is never-ending, I am certain we will look back on this life and wonder why we were so worried, so scared, so totally lacking in faith.

Why not just proceed, as Christ did, as Abraham did? Do we really believe there is a life after this? Do we really believe that God has called us to do whatever it takes to feed the hungry, house the homeless, care for the widow, protect the orphan? If so . . . then what are we worried about? And what are we waiting for?

God said "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Abraham said, "Son . . . God will provide."

There are few words, more tender, in all the English language, than "Son." When you call someone "son" it means that you see yourself in that young man. You have connected yourself with him in the most confident, comfortable, and caring way.

"Son" means . . . it will be okay. For I am there with you.

Indeed, for eternity.