Who is your Isaac

A friend of mine died of heart attack recent. 

I knew her as a good friend. She was very influential and very successful. 

She was very much respected in the financial and business community. She moved in the circle of CEOs (being a CEO herself). Her clothes were impeccable and expensive, her handbags of the best quality, her hair never out of her place. Her personality was cheerful and personable and she always remembered me as a fellow Penang-nite and schoolmate (being one year younger than me she was my sister's classmate). She travelled first-class and had a loving family. She was in every sense of the word - a successful woman.

Well-loved, well-liked, everyone had good memories of her. At the funeral parlor, her room was the one with the most and biggest bouquet of flowers. Many top bosses and datos attended her memorial to pay their last respects.


Before her death I had the opportunity to speak to her a few words at a meeting. She was so dedicated to her work that even though she was not well, she still came to work.

The day after the meeting with her, my boss secretary told me the news in the morning. She had died of cardiac arrest that morning itself.

So many of us were so shaken by her sudden death. This was because she was only very young (just past the previous retirement age) and at the peak of her life. She was doing very well in her career, her relationships and her family.

I took comfort in the fact that she knew Jesus and that her funeral will be a testimony to many of the love of God. 

I also kept having the feeling that God had a message for me through her death. 

I could not reconcile the fact that she was taken at so young an age. She had worked so hard, she was so committed and dedicated to her job, she had made so much contribution to the banking community....she was what you could say 'indispensable' in her organisation. She wore shoes that few could step into.

But this morning, God spoke to me loud and clear. No one is indispensable, do not think that you are also indispensable. Look at your friend, she has passed on, all her work and labor has ceased, the top CEOs to whom she reports to will find someone else will take her place. Life goes on.....

This morning I got the message while reading Gen 25:5 "And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac"

Now having an 'Isaac' is not necessarily a bad thing. I have heard messages being preached that an 'Isaac' is something that we idolize in a negative way. Reading this verse I saw the word 'Isaac' in a different light.

Actually it seems to me that having an 'Isaac' can be good and can be bad depending on who is your 'Isaac'.

Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. If Abraham gave all that he had to his only son surely having an Isaac is not a bad thing. Abraham had been tested in his faith. Indeed Abraham had earned the right to give his all to Isaac, his only son!

God knew that although Abraham gave his all to Isaac, his son, Abraham would also be willing to give up Isaac too if God had asked him to do it again. Abraham had been willing the first time because Abraham believed in God to keep His promises. Thus Isaac was not Abraham's idol at all nor was Isaac a stumbling block to his relationship with God.

God asked me this question "So who/what is your 'Isaac'? Who do you give all that you have to in your life at this period of time? Who do you think your friend (the one who died) gave her all to?"

I pondered God's question and felt that although I could answer the question for myself, I really could not answer it for her.

"So what about you? Who is your Isaac?"

I checked out the parallels between Isaac and Jesus:

1. Both fulfilled promises

Isaac was the promised son to Abraham - Gen 12:3. Jesus was the promised Messiah - Gen 3:15, 13:3.

2. Both were the only son of their father

Genesis 22:2 - Isaac was described as "Your son, your only son, whom you love...."

Matt 3:16-17 - God said "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased"

3. Both were loved by their fathers

4. Both had a 3-day experience

Isaac had a 3-day hike to Mount Moriah. Jesus had 3 days from the cross to the grave to the resurrection.

5. Both were followed by 2 men

Isaac had 2 servants followed him to Mount Moriah - Gen 22:3 and Jesus were with 2 thieves - Matt 27:38

6. Both carried their own wood and were bound to it

Isaac carried his wood for his own sacrifice (Gen 22:6) and Jesus carried the crossbeam of his cross to Calvary (John 19:17).

7. Both submitted to their father

Isaac willingly submitted to his father (Gen 22:9) and Jesus submitted to His Father's will (Luke 22:42).

8. Both asked a question of their father

Isaac asked "Here is the fire and the wood but where is the lamb?" Gen 22:7.

Jesus cried "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" Matt 27:46.

9. Both were brought back from the dead

Isaac was brought back figuratively after 3 days journey to Moriah (Gen 22:12) and Jesus rose 3 days after He was crucified (Matt 2:6-7).

10. Both became a blessing

Isaac's seed was multiplied throughout the whole world (Gen 22:17) and as for Jesus through His sacrifice, we become members of the body of Christ. Today many millions are Christians and believers of Jesus throughout the whole world.

I answered God "my 'Isaac' is Jesus based on the comparison between 'Isaac and Jesus"!

Then the Lord responded to me "If you say that your 'Isaac' is Jesus then will you be like Abraham to give your all to Me? 

Some people give their all to their hobbies, their leisure activities, their acquisition of material wealth, their pursuit of comfort and security, their pursuit of fame or men's acclaim, some give their all to their work. Some give their all to make more and more money. 

You can clearly see who their 'Isaac' is. Those 'Isaacs' are not beneficial to them because they expend their time, energy, money and resources and pour their whole life into them but to what end, to what result? Will these things count for your eternity when you cannot bring your lands, cars, houses and money with you when you leave your body? 

What will count for eternity when you stand before Me? How will you answer when I ask you what have you brought with you that will matter for all eternity?

Will you be empty handed when you stand before me in judgment? Do you know what matters to me? The souls and disciples that you have made while you were on earth! Did you bring them with you? Where are they?

Will you shine like the stars in heaven forever and ever having turned many to righteousness?

Where I am not your 'Isaac' but you choose something other than Me to be your 'Isaac' then that 'Isaac' becomes your idol."

Make me you one and only 'Isaac' in this life and determined to give your all to me like Abraham gave his all to his only son!"

Prayer 

"LORD JESUS please forgive me. Help me to give my all to You. Forsaking all 'Isaacs' remove all the idolization of material things from me. Let me have You and You alone as my ONLY ISAAC. Deal with my covetousness and my greed for money, status and position. In Jesus Name. Amen"