True love is being defined in many different ways. Our absolute truths are disappearing before our eyes and being a person marked by convictions and critical thinking is now viewed with a different set of eyes.

Often we look at one another with dismissiveness and hatred without even knowing one another. We make assumptions not grounded in truth but in stereotypes and preconceived notions. In order for any society to move forward, we must always look back and review the One who created it all.

I was reading Genesis 22 over these past few weeks and realized MUCH about God.

-God tested Abraham.

-Abraham loved his son – the one he waited 100 years for. And this is the first mention of the word “love” in all of scripture.

-Immediately, Abraham obeyed God’s request. Even though it was radical.

-Abraham told his servants that he and his son were going to worship and that they would then return, together. This is the first mention of “worship” in scripture.

-Abraham knew in his heart and spoke with his words that God would provide.

-God did provide.

-All the nations of earth were blessed because Abraham obeyed. Oh, and that is the first mention of “obey” in scripture.

Abraham loved his son greatly and in that love, radically obeyed the calling and message spoke to his heart by God. He walked in the Light He had. He obeyed quickly. He took his son to worship- the only real worship there is – genuine obedience to the Father. In that obedience, his son and the world were forever changed. All because one man obeyed.

Now, bringing it home. I felt strongly that our family had drifted from mission some in these past few years of grief. And the Lord spoke – two different missions that He wanted our home to be a part of. My husband and I quickly obeyed the calling and guess what, The Lord provided.

True love for our children is not how many things we can buy them. True love for our children means simply, obey God – no matter what. Radically obey. Walk in the fullness of what God speaks to you. Abraham walked in faithful confidence in his radical obedience. He knew His God. And He followed. And Isaac was able to experience that moment. He saw it all – in full.

I am very excited to see all that the Lord has in store and how many will be blessed in our obedience. One thing is for sure – my husband and I sure are.

Genesis 22

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”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 the two of them walked on together.Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.

Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”