My Provider: Abraham Believed - Living Free - January 14
My Provider: Abraham Believed
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
"Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.'" Genesis 22:8 NIV
Thoughts for Today
In Genesis 22, Abraham was faced with a crisis and the supreme test of his life. God asked him to take his deeply loved son, Isaac, to the land of Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice.
Abraham prepared an altar, arranged the wood, bound Isaac, and laid him on the top of the wood on the altar. When he had a knife in hand and was preparing to slay his son, the angel of the Lord appeared and told him not to harm the boy. God provided a ram as a substitute. "So, Abraham called that place 'The Lord Will Provide'" [Jehovah-Jireh]. Genesis 22:14
Consider this …
Abraham believed God would provide. When he and Isaac left the servants a distance away from where he would build the altar, these were his parting words:
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 NIV
Not "I will come back." He declared, "We will come back." No matter what the circumstances, Abraham knew God had promised a multitude of descendants would come through Isaac. Though God was asking Abraham to do something that didn't make sense, he trusted God's provision. "We will come back.
As they left the servants, Isaac questioned Abraham.
Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”
Genesis 22:7-8 NIV
Abraham was living by faith, not by sight. He knew God would provide.
No matter what circumstances you may be facing, follow Abraham's example. Keep your eyes on your heavenly Father. Instead of being overwhelmed by what you see, place your faith in him. In his love. In his plan. In his provision.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your love. Help me hear your voice and obey you, always trusting in your provision no matter what the circumstances. In Jesus' name ...
These thoughts were drawn from … The Ten Commandments: Applying the Foundations of Living to My Personal Life by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct and ethical decisions is essential for believers surrounded by relativistic values. This guide helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments considering today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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