The God who gives all

Here is an excerpt from a book I was reading recently. This passage made me wanna stand up on the table in the coffee house where I was reading and have church right there!

A pastor I know recalls a Sunday morning Bible study at his church when the text under consideration was Genesis 22. God commands Abraham to take his son, Isaac and offer him in sacrifice on Mt. Moriah

(side note for folks unfamiliar with the story: God stops Abraham from killing Isaac and then provides a ram for him to use instead).

After the group read the passage, the pastor offered some historical background on this period in salvation-history, including the prevelance of child sacrifice among Canaanites. The group listened in awkward silence.

Then the pastor asked, "But what does this story mean to us?"

A middle aged man spoke up. "I'll tell you the meaning this story has for me. I've decided that me and my family are looking for another church."

The pastor was astonished, "What? Why?"

"Because, the man said, "when I look at that God, the God of Abraham, I feel near a real God, not the sort of dignified, business-like, Rotary club God we chatter about here on Sunday mornings. Abraham's God couldd blow a man to bits, give and then take a child, ask for everything from a person, and then want more. I want to know that God."

The child of God knows tha graced life calls him or her to live on a cold and windy mountain, not on the plain of reasonable, middle-of-the-road religion.

For at the heart of the gospel of grace, the sky darkens, the wind howls, a young man walks up another Moriah in obedience to a God who demands everything and stops at nothing. Unlike Abraham, he carries a cross on His back rather than sticks for the fire...Like Abraham, listening to a wild and restless God who will have his way with us, no matter what the cost.

This is the God of the gospel of grace. A God, who out of love for us, sent the only son He ever had wrapped in our skin. He learned how to walk, stumble and fell, cried for His milk, sweated blood in the night, was lashed with a whip and showered with spit, was fixed to a cross and died whispering forgiveness to us all.

-Brennan Manning, "The Ragamuffin Gospel"

(Side note: I find it absolutely humbling and awesome at the same time that while God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Issac, God Himself follwed through, sacrificing His son [HIMSELF], to end all sacrifice and provide the only avenue any of us will ever need to come close to God as our own Father, Maker and Companion).

Regarding animals

At a prayer training once we did an exercise in hearing from God in which we asked God a question and then wrote down - without editing - what we received. It took prayer, shutting off my head and listening for His voice to get the response. But I did write everything that I believed was Him. Obviously all of it needs to be squared with with scripture before it can be attributed to the Holy Spirit and not our own heads (or even worse!). And that is the step after this one. This was what I asked and the unedited response:

Q - Why do we have to kill your creatures and eat them? Why do some animals have to do the same?

A - I made all creatures. They are all mine. I do not ask everyone to eat of them. Your prayers of mercy over those that suffer and die at the hands of mass graves are heard. I tend to each one of my flock, I know that they hurt. All my children and animals hurt. It is not my way and will be restored at the time of my coming. The animals are special to you and that is one of your gifts. I plainly set that upon your heart for reasons known to me to be known to you in the future. Continue your path with them, continue your prayers for them, they are heard. Your solutions can't work but your prayers can. Many things will one day make sense. Be yourself. Eat of my trees and my vines. Make everyday count. Eat only what you need of flesh and eat mostly of the fruit of life - I will sustain you. You are precious to me. Your heart is not wrong. Be faithful.

Nothing in here that I can tell is not Scriptural. Referring to animals as part of "his flock" might be a stretch since that analogy in scripture is exclusively used to refer to PEOPLE who choose to follow Christ. Animals are not required to make a choice because they are not sinful creatures. In fact God uses animals to show us how to be worshipful and how to live as creatures created by God (see Job 12:7, Luke 12:24). Still, all the creatures of the earth have been included in the covenant that God has made with us (Genesis 9:10-11). And we are instructed to share the Good News with ALL creation.