Fists Clinched

Fired up

Screams inside

Why this CUP?

 

Each step taking

Dreads the end

are you kidding?

now you send

This mission

I have to make

this decision

I have to take

my only son?

and this, my path?

Inside churning

Daunting task.

 

Boy is close

knows his role

Safely under

Dad’s control

Each step matched

with tiny feet

Always yearning

to exactly repeat

every move

of his dad

Love abounds

in this lad.

He waited forever

for his son

years passed

surely done.

Yet, he was blessed

on the day

He held him tight

knew loves way.

Years passed

their love grew

faithfully teaching

precious two

Every day

better than the last

working together

every task

Emulates

every gift

Life is perfect

yet, change is swift.

Now they’re walking

Where? he asks

Dad replies

…to fulfill God’s task.

tears are falling

hides from him

wipes his face

light growing dim

Boy is talking

full of joy

So thankful, dad,

to be your boy.

Thanks for walking

just with me

this task is exciting

can’t wait to see!

They stop

hand in hand

Build this with me

Stoic man

Yet, in his head

he hasn’t stopped

silently praying

wood is chopped

He keeps repeating

faithful one

Please take away

what must be done.

 

Boy is helping

“What is this?”

What are we doing,

Dad? He kissed

his balding head

“Are you okay?

Dad, I love you.

Let’s just pray!”

Dad screams out

with guttural roar

HOW CAN I!

Why must I LORD?!

Grabs his son

with tightest hug

and ties him down

Boy’s eyes, they bug

FULL OF FEAR

the sharpest knife

on his throat

to take his life!

God whispers

“peace be still”

Faithful man

your cup is full.

You have passed

the greatest test

Love surpassed

Your earthly quest

 

The last minute

angels surround

ease the memory

Love abounds

Change is made

in his life

Blessings abound

to balance the strife.

Let me ask you

now that you know

Could you pass

the test to show

God above

He’s number one

I don’t love

Anyone.

more than you

Even my own kid?

Humbly thankful

Abraham did.

---

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

³ Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his 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.”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altarthere and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,¹⁸ and through your offspring^[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[c] because you have obeyed me.”