Does Your Faith Impact Others?

Faith. Lived out in how we speak at the dinner table, how we behave in traffic, and how we act toward those we live and work with. What’s our faith say? Does it impact those around us?

Genesis 22 tells of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Picture the scene. Isaac is thirteen at the very least, probably older. He and Dad leave bright and early, travel three days with a couple of servants, then head up the mountain to offer God a sacrifice.

Isaac carries the wood. Dad, the knife and fire.

No bull. No sheep. No goat.

“Uh, Dad?”

“Yes, son.”

“Where’s the lamb?” He’s been thinking this for three days.

Dad’s reply? “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8 NIV)

“Okayyy.”

Makes you wonder when Dad broke the news. The details are sparse, and little dialogue is recorded.

Abraham knew:

  • God promised him an heir from Sarah.
  • Multitudes of descendants would come from this heir.
  • Ishmael was not the son of promise. Isaac was.

Somehow, God would make this work. Check out verse 5, “He [Abraham] said to the servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.’”

Isaac allows his hands to be bound and lies on the altar, splinters digging into his back.

To me, Isaac’s faith is as significant as Abraham’s. He shows a deep trust both in his father and in God.

Isaac could have bolted. Abraham was well over one hundred and no match for Isaac.

But he stayed.

He submitted.

He climbed up on an altar—and waited.

No lamb in sight.

That day Isaac’s faith—though modeled on his father’s—became his own. If you check Genesis 22, the ram doesn’t show up until verse 13. It wasn’t there before. I wonder how often this experience came to Isaac’s mind as he faced later struggles.

So how are we doing with our Isaacs? Are we sharing stories of God’s faithfulness? Times when our backs were against the wall? When no lamb was in sight? How does our faith impact our sons and daughters? Our grandchildren? Coworkers? Extended family?

Faith is personal, and it must be tested. Let’s prepare them for their own moment of faith.

Questions:

If you had been Isaac, what thoughts would you have had?

If you had been Abraham, what thoughts would you have had?

Parents, was there anything about your parents’ or grandparents’ faith that impacted your own, for good or bad?

How do you think your faith impacts your children?

Kids, do you need to change anything?

Tweetables:

What’s our faith say? Does it impact those around us? Click To Tweet
Isaac could have bolted. But he stayed. He submitted. He climbed up on an altar—and waited. Click To Tweet
If you check Genesis 22, the ram doesn’t show up until verse 13. It wasn’t there before. Click To Tweet
So how are we doing with our Isaacs? Are we sharing stories of God’s faithfulness? When no lamb was in sight? Click To Tweet
Let’s prepare them for their own moment of faith. Click To Tweet

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