Most of us can look back to years past and remember a few significant events that changed the course of our lives. We could draw a timeline from birth to our (future) death and illustrate our stories by marking those events.

Here is when we met our spouse. And here is when our first child was born. Here is when tragedy struck our family, and we lost a loved one. Here’s where we said yes to that new job opportunity or said no to something we now regret.

Genesis 22-23 records two significant events in Abraham’s life that affected not only him but also his son, Isaac, and the many descendants who would come after him.

The first event is a familiar one to any Bible student. God speaks to Abraham and asks him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering. This would have been shocking for two reasons. First, Isaac was the son of the promise. God had already declared that Abraham would have innumerable descendants through Isaac. How could this happen if Isaac died? Secondly, human sacrifice was abhorrent to God—a practice of heathen nations. Why would God suggest such a thing?

Abraham had a choice to make. He could trust that God was working in ways that he didn’t understand and obey or turn away from God and protect his son’s life. We know how the story turned out, but at the time, Abraham did not know that God was simply testing his allegiance and would not sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obeyed because he was fully convinced that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

God tests His children not to prove anything to Himself, as He knows our every thought and intention of our hearts. He knows what we will do in every situation. He tests us to prove our faith genuine to ourselves and to prove to us that He is truly faithful. Surely, Abraham’s faith and love for God grew that day on the mountain in ways he could never have imagined or orchestrated for himself.

This event was also a picture of the sacrifice God Himself would make one day by giving His own Son as an offering for sin. Isaac was rescued, but Jesus would go all the way to the grave, but just as Abraham knew and believed, God was able to raise Him from the dead.

The second event is a sad one. Sarah dies at the age of 127. Abraham reveals his deep love for his wife as he mourns and weeps over her. He realizes their time on earth is ending but does something that shows how fully he believes God’s promise that the land of Canaan will one day belong to his descendants.

Abraham purchases a portion of land in Hebron, known as the cave in the field of Machpelah. This becomes the “family gravesite,” and in future years, Abraham, Isaac, and his wife, Rebekah, Isaac’s son Jacob, and Leah will all be buried here. One commentator notes that by purchasing this plot of land, Abraham wants to guarantee that he and Sarah will be part of the promise when it finally is fulfilled. This story is included to show us Abraham and Sarah’s great love for one another but also to reveal Abraham’s faith.

These are just two significant events that Abraham could “hang” on his timeline—stories he could tell his children and grandchildren to illustrate the faithfulness of His God, Jehovah.

Here’s the challenge for us: When God does something in our lives, be it big or small, do we take note of it in such a way that our descendants can see God’s faithfulness? Are we diligent about preserving our stories and sharing them with our children and grandchildren—showing them the many ways God intervened for us and walked with us through the events of our lives?

I must admit I’m not great at this, but these chapters motivate me to be more intentional and find ways to preserve the story God is writing with me. May all who look back at the timelines of our lives be able to clearly see the faithfulness of our God!