The Lord Will Provide

"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place Yahweh Yireh/ Yahweh Jireh (which means 'the Lord will provide'). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.'" Genesis 22:13-14

As a parent, it's always difficult for me to imagine being in Abraham's shoes when God told him to sacrifice Isaac, the promised son whom Abraham loved and waited for 25 years to receive. He must have been in indescribable anguish. I really admire Abraham's faith and obedience. He obeyed God (he did what God told him to do without even questioning God for details or reasons at all...maybe he did but it's not recorded in the Bible :) ?). He was willing to surrender all (even if it meant his one and only son) to God. He demonstrated extreme trust and confidence in God when he said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:5) "We" not just "I"! And in verse 8 in response to Isaac's asking where the sacrificial lamb was, Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." How did he have such confidence? Abraham completely believed God's promises to him (before Isaac was born, God promised Abraham that countless descendants would come through his son) and knew God would fulfill His promises. Besides, Abraham "reasoned that God could even raise the dead" (Hebrews 11:19a). God did provide a ram in a nearby thicket for a substitute sacrifice for Isaac.


To ponder: Are we willing to surrender all to God and trust Him for our every need/every situation?
                    Do we have something or someone precious to us that we've treasured or clung to more than God?
                    Are we walking in faith and in obedience? Notice that God's provision came after Abraham's obedience, not before. Step out in a childlike faith even when you cannot understand God's plan. Trust God's heart even when you cannot trace His hand.
                   Do we remember to thank God for His provision...for being our faithful Provider?
                   Do we have such confidence in God as Abraham did? If not, let's pray for that :)!
                  
God will provide for what we need (needs are not the same as wants). He already provided for our greatest need, the need for a substitute to pay the penalty for our sin and die in our place. He provided His one and only Son, Jesus Christ! "If we can trust God for our eternal salvation, how can we not trust Him to provide for the "little" things of life?" (M.E.Howard) God loves you and He will provide for what you need when you need it. "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8). 

Prayer: Father, thank You for being my Provider! I can never thank You enough for sacrificing Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sin so that I may have eternal life and relationship with You. Please strengthen & grow my faith and help me wholly surrender all to You, completely trust You in all circumstances, and be utterly obedient to You like Abraham. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.