Today's reading was Genesis 22. This one was another profound moment in the life of Abraham. In the 22nd chapter of Genesis, God asks Abraham for a sacrifice. And not just any sacrifice. He tells him to travel to a location three days travel away and sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham didn't question God for one second. He obeyed. At one point, Isaac turned to his father and asked where the lamb was- they had everything else, but no sacrifice with them. Abraham's answer to Isaac was that the Lord would provide a sacrifice. Abraham went as far as tying Isaac up, lying him on the pyre, and raising the knife to deal out the killing blow. It wasn't until that moment that an angel stopped him and showed him a ram that God was providing him.
This is a very personal chapter in the Bible. God cares about each and every one of us on a personal level. Yahweh Yireh can be translated to mean "The Lord Will Provide." And just as God provided a sacrifice for Abraham, he will provide us with what we need. Abraham was following God's directions wholeheartedly, and with complete faith. He and Isaac traveled to their destination with two other men. They stopped short of the right place and Abraham turned to his companions and told them to wait here, he and Isaac would be back after they worshipped God. He told them Isaac would come back with him, even though he knew his instructions were to sacrifice his son. I don't believe that Abraham was deceiving these men one bit. He had Faith that God would raise Isaac from the dead after he sacrificed him. What a statement of faith this chapter is!!! I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be able to follow God's instructions to sacrifice a child. And God cared so much for Abraham, that he provided the ram for a sacrifice. He spared Isaac's life, and through Abraham and Isaac he promised a world of blessings that would last forever for them.
God will provide. That alone can be encouraging for me. God will provide us with what we need, whether that be food, shelter, clothing, or wisdom to say the right things at the right time. He is the great provider, and sometimes, it is a leap of faith to remember that he does provide. Andy and I have been spending a lot of time praying about his job situation. He'd been told over a month ago that an early lay-off was coming. It was difficult for us, but we trusted that God would provide somehow, and we've continued paying our bills and tithing, and watching what we spend, even though we know that that money could be saved. And guess what! God is still providing. Right now, it looks like Andy could potentially be working right up to Christmas. That is a huge Praise the Lord! And I have complete faith that the provision will continue for as long as we need it. It can be terrifying to take that leap of faith, but with continued prayer and time with God, he's given me a peace about the whole situation, that I would certainly not have it it weren't for him. He is indeed The Great Provider.
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