March 8, 2026

Do you remember when you were born? Of course not! I bet your parents remember though. Do you know how old Abraham was when his baby boy was born? One hundred! Let’s count to one hundred. No, let’s not! That’s old, isn’t it? Sarah, his wife, was old too. She was ninety. Remember when Sarah laughed when God promised she’d have a baby? She thought she and her husband were too old to have a baby. But is anything impossible for God? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. When God makes a promise, he keeps it. The “father of a multitude of nations” (Gen. 17:5) finally had a son! But his timing is not always ours. The name Isaac means “he laughs.” The perfect name. His name reminded his parents that God had kept an impossible promise. There was no longer laughter of disbelief, only laughter of surprise and joy. Many years after Isaac was born, God asked Abraham to do something shocking: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love . . . and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains [in the land of Moriah]” (Gen. 22:2). What a crazy command! Why would God ask him to sacrifice his only son? He gave this command to test if Abraham would still believe that God would keep his promises to him. Abraham passed the test. He figured that if God’s plan was to kill the promised child, then God must have another plan. Perhaps he would raise him from the dead! No matter what, Abraham believed God always keeps his promises. So Abraham took his beloved son to the mountain. Isaac carried wood for the sacrifice. Abraham tied up his son and prepared to sacrifice him. But guess what happened? Just when Abraham lifted his knife, God shouted, “Don’t do it! I see that you love me and trust me” (see 22:12). God provided a different sacrifice—a ram. Abraham sacrificed the animal. God was so pleased. He told Abraham, “Because you have obeyed my voice, I will surely bless you. Your offspring will be as the stars of heaven and through your family all the families of the earth will be blessed” (see 22:16–18).