Steps in Obedience

~~~Second Sunday of Lent~~~

~~~ Genesis 22:1-2, 9A, 10-13, 15-18 ~~~ Psalm 116 ~~~ 

~~~Romans 8:31B-34 ~~~ Mark 9:2-10 ~~~

 I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Abraham was a good, faithful, God fearing man.

He walked before the Lord almost to a fault, in our eyes.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his flesh and blood, 

his own son, if it was God's will.

I know I would not have been able to commit 

such an act of obedience.

The Lord put Abraham to the ultimate test.

Abraham loved his son and he loved his God.

How was he able to discern the right action to take?

Abraham believed with his whole being

 that God needed for him to sacrifice his son,

God waited until he was about to make the final act 

of obedience until he stopped him.

I have this picture of Abraham's hand raised ready to come down 

with the ax when he heard the voice of God.

God was greatly impressed with Abraham.

I will bless you abundantly 

and make your descendants as countless... 

as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore...

This is a promise that we stand as witnesses to in the present time.

We are among those who are the descendants of Abraham.

God the Father sent his only Son whom he loved greatly to die for us.

During the Transfiguration we see the shadow cast by the cloud 

and then we hear the voice of God.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; 

from the cloud came a voice, 

“This is my beloved Son.

Abraham was not in the shadow of any cloud;

 he was walking with his God.

Jesus was obedient to the Father

 just as Abraham was obedient to God.

Abraham gained for all his future generations favor with God.

Jesus gained for us through his obedience eternal 

salvation for all future generations.

God calls each of us his Beloved...

during Lent it is especially humbling

 to consider oneself to be one of God's Beloved.

Returning to God with our whole being...

allowing God to love us...

this is the message of Lent each and every year.

Allow God to Bless you as his 

Beloved Daughter or Beloved Son.

We belong to him...we are his.

~~~Peace~~~