The Sacrifice

It was bright sunny Sunday morning as Mrs. Bear opened the curtains in Gladly's room.  “Wake up,” she chided.  “It is time to get up and get ready for church.  Now get ready while I go wake your little sister.”

            As his mother left to go wake Suzanne Bear, Gladly turned over with a great big yawn.  He squinted at the bright sunlight that streamed through his bedroom window.  Slowly he rolled out of bed and got ready to go to church.  

            He meandered down the stairs to find his father hunched over the stove fixing breakfast.  The pans rattled as he scrambled the eggs, then he gave a yelp as the flames flicked his hand while setting the bread for toasting.  Turning to Gladly he said, “Good morning son.  Why don't you set the table so we can be ready when your mother comes down?”

            As Gladly set the table, his father finished cooking the meal. Setting a heaping bowl of eggs in the center of the table, he turned and went back for the toast.  When he returned with the toast he looked at Gladly and said, “Thank you son, I appreciate your help.”

           Coming down the stairs, Suzanne Bear called out, “Ooh, something smells yummy.  I love scrambled eggs.  Mommy, can I have strawberry jelly with my toast?”

            Mrs. Bear walked to the table where Gladly and Mr. Bear were waiting.  “Thank you dear,” she said. “I am so blessed to be married to such a thoughtful gentleman.”

            After they had all been seated for the meal, Mr. Bear said grace and they began their meal.  Soon they were all full and could not eat another morsel.  Suzanne cleared the table, and then they all headed out the door for church.

            Before long they were meeting their friends on the way to church.  Suzanne rushed ahead to greet her friend Jasmine Fox.  Gladly pulled back to greet Benjamin Squirrel.  Soon the church bell was ringing and they all gathered inside for the service.

            As the adults went to the sanctuary, the kids followed Miss Rosie the Wise Old Owl to their class.  Gladly whispered to Bryan Skunk, “I wonder what story Miss Rosie has for us today.  She always has something good.”

            They entered their classroom and everyone sat down to learn.  Miss Rosie looked over the smiling faces of the kids, and thought to herself how fortunate she was to be teaching them about the Bible. 

            But not all was quiet for from the back of the room Miss Rosie could hear the sniffles of someone who had been crying.  Looking around she spotted Haley Rabbit in the back, her eyes red from tears.  “Why Haley, whatever is the matter?” asked Miss Rosie.

            “I tripped and fell down on the way to church.  Now my knee has an owie!  Mommy put a band-aid on it but it STILL HURTS” cried Haley.

            Jasmine Fox rushed over to hug her friend Haley.  “Haley, if you want you can have Tori. You know she is my special doll, but I hate to see you hurting.” 

            “Can I just hold her during class?  You can have her back, Jessica made her for you.”

            Miss Rosie smiled as Haley took Tori.  “That was very sweet of you Jasmine.  I know how much Tori means to you, it must have been a big sacrifice to give her to Haley today.”

            “Which reminds me of a story from the Bible; it is about a man named Abraham who also made a big sacrifice.  Now Abraham had a wife named Sarah.  Abraham was ninety-nine, yet he had no children.  God came to Abraham and told him that Sarah would have a son by the next year.  Sarah hearing this laughed to herself, she was eighty-nine and thought she was to old to have a child.

            God asked Abraham, “Why does Sarah laugh.  Is there anything that is too difficult for the Lord to do?  By Spring you will have a son and name him Isaac.”

            But Sarah claimed she didn't laugh, because she was afraid.  But God replied that she did laugh.

            In the spring, Sarah had a little baby boy.  She called him Isaac. She and Abraham were so happy to finally have a child.  Just like Gladly's parents were when he was born.

            Then one day, God came to Abraham with a test.  He said to him, “Abraham, take your only son Isaac who you love, go to Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains.”

            Now Abraham loved God and wanted to obey him.  He saddled up his donkey, took Isaac and gathered up the wood for the sacrifice.  Then he headed for the mountain that God told him to go to.

            On the third day they saw the mountain for the sacrifice.  Abraham gave the wood to Isaac and led him on.  Isaac told his father they had wood and fire for the burnt offering, but they had no lamb to sacrifice.  Abraham replied that God would provide the lamb for the sacrifice.

            When they reached the site, Abraham built the altar for the sacrifice.  He placed the wood on the altar, then he took his beloved son Isaac, and placed him on the alter.  He took his knife and raised it to slay Isaac as a sacrifice to God.

            That was when the angel of the Lord called out to him, “Abraham, Abraham!”

            Abraham answered, “Here I am.”

           The angel said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, and do not do anything to him.  For I now know that you fear God, you have not even withheld you only son from me.”

            The Abraham looked up and saw before him a ram caught in the bushes.  Abraham took the ram and offered the ram as a sacrifice to God.

            God blessed Abraham because he was willing to sacrifice his only son to God.  Abraham loved Isaac, but he also loved God and was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Him.  Just as God loves us and sent us His only Son that he loves to be a sacrifice for us to save us from our sins.”

Miss Rosie found this Bible story in Genesis 22:1 - 18