“ 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.’ 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together…8 Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’…13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, aught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’ - Genesis 22:5-14
What is your most prized possession? Is it the most valuable to you because of what it’s worth? Because of what it cost to make or replace? Because of who gave it to you, a sentimental value?
Imagine wanting something your entire life only to be denied at every turn. Just when you give up on the dream of possessing it, God throws you a curveball, and you finally receive the thing you so dearly wanted. How much would you treasure that gift? Abraham waited for the joy of a child until he was almost 100!
God had promised to bless the world through his descendants, yet he remained childless. Frustrated, Abraham tried to make it happen his own way, but the child of the promise was yet to come. One day, the Lord smiled on Abraham and Sarah and brought the joyous laughter of little Isaac into their home.
Isaac was Abraham’s cherished boy, the one whom he held most dear. Imagine how difficult it must of been when God asked him to give up the child he had waited so long to enjoy. The Book of Hebrews tells us Abraham trusted God’s promise so deeply, he believed even if he sacrificed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead!
Do we trust God will keep His promises that deeply? Abraham’s willingness to surrender all to God, believing God would come through, is the kind of faith God calls all of us to embrace. As you hang your ornament today, remember, when you realize God is over all, and you surrender all, He always provides all you need!
Comments