In Genesis, chapter 22, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering.  It was a test of Abraham’s willingness to obey God’s command, even when it was painful.  We remember how Abraham and Isaac traveled for three days to Moriah, where they built an altar.  Then Abraham bound Isaac, laid him on the firewood and raised his knife to slay him.  However, God stopped him.  A ram appeared and it was slaughtered instead of Isaac.  Abraham had the faith to sacrifice his own son, if needed, because he understood that God had the power to resurrect him from the dead.

It’s a powerful story of faith.  In the Islamic tradition, it’s the second of their two main holidays.  Called the “Feast of Sacrifice,” it honors the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. This holiday, called Eid-al-Adha, begins at sundown tonight and lasts for four days.

Abraham is a revered figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  He is the father of faith, the ancestor of many nations. We share with our brothers of other faiths a reverence for Father Abraham and the strength of faith that allowed him to respond to God’s command.  We pray that our God will not ask such a sacrifice of us.   We cling to his unconditional love, praying that our faith will grow each and every day of our lives.

Judy