Here I am

‘Gen.22:11, ‘But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”’

How often we have read these passages and how often we quote this phrase in our own prayers and worship ! Abraham received his promised son, Isaac at the age of 100. And all seemed to go well in life. This is when God called his friend by his name to test him. God had talked to Abraham quite a number of times earlier and He had spoken to give him blessings, to direct him and to encourage him. But this call was different from the previous ones. This one was to take something from Abraham. ‘Gen.22:1-2, ‘Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”’

Abraham’s response to this first call in this chapter was the usual response, as he never had a hint of what the Lord was going to speak to him. God asked Abraham to offer :

1. ‘your son’,: God told Abraham specifically as to what He needed. God is always specific and clear as to what He needs from us.
2. ‘your only son’ : God did not want a substitution for His specific requirement. No substitution can please our Lord. No substitution can replace the divine requirements.
3. ‘whom you love’: God aimed at the core of Abraham’s heart, his love. His aim was not Isaac, but the love of Abraham. God aims to conquer our love through all that happens in our lives.

After this, the next time he hears from God was after three days, when he was on the mount Moriah, with his son Isaac lying before him upon the piled up wood, bound, silent before his earthly father. Being able to hear from the Lord in the most painful times of the Lord is a great blessing. It shows how much Abraham’s heart was inclined towards heaven, even as he continued to obey the painful commandments.

Abraham stretched forth the knife to slay his son, and the angel of the Lord called out unto him out of heaven. Abraham said, ‘Here am I.’ Here, this expression meant a lot more than what he meant earlier. He had offered his son, his only son, his love. This included all that Abraham was and all that he had. His son represented he himself. His only son represented his only hope  and influence over his future, and his love represented all his soul and mind. He had nothing more to offer. Yet, by saying ‘Here I am’ at this juncture, he said that even if more than this was required by the Lord, he was ready. He was ready to give more than what he had to offer. This reminds us of Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice, who willingly offered every drop of blood for our redemption. Our Lord had nothing more to offer for He had given all that He was and all that He had.  His sacrifice was as specified by the heavenly Father. Nothing else could substitute this sacrifice. And through this alone, the love of Christ was expressed towards the whole mankind.

Heaven could not be silent by seeing such a submission. The Lord observed  three things in Abraham behind the expression of ‘Here I am’.

1. 22:12, ‘He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”’ Abraham feared God . As Abraham submitted himself, he expressed his fear for the Lord. He feared His holiness and greatness. By fearing God, Abraham was loving and respecting God, which is the right response to the holiness of the Lord.
2. 22:15-16, ‘Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, ¹⁶ and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—‘ He did not withhold his only son. He did not withhold his only hope , who was representing he himself. He did not withhold the fruit of years of patient waiting upon the Lord. He did not withhold the most precious part of his life. Not withholding anything from the Lord is the right expression of love for Him.
3. 18:18, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” The Lord saw Abraham’s obedience. His obedience was spontaneous. His obedience was complete. His obedience was without any question and unconditional. Only such an obedience proves the right relation with God.

When Abraham said ‘Here I am’, in Gen.22:1, his life was full of blessings. His dreams and promises had been received. It was a time when he was enjoying the blessings of the Lord.  But when he said ‘here I am’  in Gen.22:11, he was drained off of all that he had. Yet his hope in the Lord had not drained off. Hebr.11:17-19, ‘By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ^18 [f]of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.’ It was this hope that refilled & restored Abraham. Only such a hope can enable anyone to submit completely as Abraham did. Such a hope can enable us to pass the testing that comes from the Lord. Abraham was tested and approved by the Lord. He overcame this test through a right response, right expression of his love and right relation with God.

When we say ‘Lord, here I am’, lets be reminded of Abraham and all that he meant and did through this small phrase. Lets be reminded of his response, relation and the expression of love for the Lord. He was tested and approved by the Lord. Only such lives can pass the testing that comes from the Lord. The innumerable signs of His coming is growing sharper and louder with each passing day. May we not loose what we have been called for. Be blessed and be a blessing everyday.

God bless us all

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