Scrawny to Tennis Fit

In Genesis, chapter 22, verse 1, Abraham is commanded by God to sacrifice Isaac. In the previous chapter God reassures Abraham and tells him to hearken to Sarah his wife and to not be sad for sending away Hagar and his son, Ishmael, for in Isaac shall the promises of God be fulfilled. From this pattern of God’s dealings with Abraham, we can see that God reassures us before the trial. He gives us promised blessings and then he allows us to experience trial so we can know for ourselves that it is only through believing and relying on God an hundred percent that we can be able to weather the storms of life’s trials. In D&C 136:31 it says, “My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom.”

What does this have to do with Abraham’s trial? Abraham’s trial was God’s finale for Abraham’s song of life. In other words, Abraham was required to sacrifice Isaac, his only son with Sarah, because God was testing Abraham to see if he would be willing enough to obey all that God would require of him. For God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, he had to see if Abraham would choose to obey God, even though the commandment to sacrifice Isaac was contrary to the reassuring promises given in the previous chapter, so that God’s promise could be fulfilled. All of God’s promised blessings are dependent on our capability to choose, follow, and obey God.

In the precise moment, when Abraham was seconds away from sacrificing his son, an angel appeared just in time to prevent the tragic loss of Isaac. In that moment, Abraham proved faithful, obedient, and sealed upon himself the promised blessing that he, Abraham, would be the father of many nations!

Bookmark: Genesis 22:1