Can you even imagine?

The second lesson in the Nine Lessons and Carols is Genesis 22:15-18. This is where the angel speaks to Abraham after he is stopped as he is about to sacrifice his son. And, no, I didn't want to write about it.

He stood on the mountaintop
His clothes drenched with sweat.
He was angry.
Furious with God,
who had demanded that he take his son.
the son of his heart,
the son of the promise,
to the top of the mountain,
and offer him in sacrifice.

Sacrifice.
It had been an unbelievable, unfathomable request.
Why?
God did not offer answers.
Abraham had obeyed,
against all of his will,
against all of his beliefs,
he had obeyed.
He had lifted the knife,
ready to plunge it into the chest of his beloved son,
on the whim of his God.

And now he stood before an angel,
sweating what felt like blood,
and felt dead inside, himself.
As if the knife had plunged into his own heart.
And the Lord said,
"I will bless you,
because you have been faithful.
You have withheld nothing from me,
not even your son.
Your offspring will outnumber the stars
will outnumber the grains of sand
in the desert.
Your offspring will be a mighty force,
and from them shall spring nations.
You will be a blessing to the earth
because you have heard and obeyed my voice."

Abraham hung his head,
afraid to look into the eyes of his son,
afraid to see the knowledge of betrayal there.
He croaked,
"Why would you ask this of me?
Why would you test me like this?
Don't you understand?
Can you see?
Can you even imagine what it would be like
to give you only son in sacrifice?"

And God said, "Yes, I can imagine."

Image: Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom