“Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you’” (Gen. 22.5 nasu).

It was a sleepless night. Abraham knew what he had to do.  How could God keep His promise to bless him through Isaac, and yet demand that he take the boy’s life in sacrifice? His faith, however, had eyes to see that God would raise the boy from the dead (Isa. 11.19).

The journey ends. They reached the spot. Here Abraham tells the two servants to stay with the donkey and he and Isaac would go off to worship, and then return. He is about to thrust the knife into his son’s chest. But no, God stops him, for just in time the angel speaks. The voice rings out, “He said, ‘Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me’” (Gen 22.12). Abraham passed the test. They, then, heard a sound and looked to see a ram caught in the bushes. Abraham sacrifices the ram instead of his son. The Lord provided!

The English word “worship” occurs here for the first time in most translations(Gen. 22.5). This is significant. We learn several things about true worship. First, God expects us to do only what He commands. We are not to worship God as we see fit. Abraham would not have chosen to offer his son on his own. It would have been murder. We must limit our worship to His commands.

Next, true worship demands our willingness to offer our best to God. For Abraham, it was his son. For us, we must never give a lack luster response to God. We must give Him our all. Add to this the need to separate ourselves from anything that will interfere with our sincere worship. Abraham left his servants and separated himself from anything that would hinder his worship. Today, hindrances come in all forms. Whatever it is, put it aside and worship God “in spirit and in truth” as Jesus stated in John 4.23-24.

Finally, once we worship God in the manner He has authorized, we leave seeing things so much clearer.  Abraham and Isaac would never be the same. The love and appreciation for each other, and the awe and reverence for God would soar on wings of eagles.

Are these ingredients of true worship a part of your worship experience? [-Adapted & Edited, BTW]