January 9

God Will Provide

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 6:4-10 | Genesis 20:1 – 22:24 | Matthew 7:15-29 | Proverbs 2:16-22

Today’s Scripture Focus: Genesis 20:1 – 22:24

“So Abraham called the place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided” (Gen. 22:14, NIV).

How do you respond when God’s command to you is absolutely unthinkable?  That is the dilemma Abraham faces. God had promised him a son. Later, God provided the son, Isaac, in his old age in the most miraculous way. He was the son of the promise.

Now God seems to be telling him something that flies in the face of everything he had previously said and done. He tells him to take his son to the mountain to sacrifice him. It made no sense at all.

Abraham’s walk with God was intimate enough that he knew this was the voice of God. We don’t know what questions might have gone through his head, but the text tells us that he obeyed and went. Would we have had that much trust? Do we know him well enough to know his voice, when the voice calls us to do something unthinkable?

When confronted by the obvious question of his son, “Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham voiced the hopeful trust of a man who walked in obedience and faith, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”  

When it was obvious that Abraham was willing to go through with the unthinkable act, the Angel of the Lord stopped Him. He was then told the purpose of this trial of faith. Isn’t it interesting how often God withholds the purpose of a thing until after we have gone through it?

And indeed, Abraham’s words of faith, turned out to be true. God did provide a ram and a blessing.

Abraham’s test of faith was extreme, yet we are all called to trials of faith. Abraham points the necessity of persevering faith even when the command doesn’t make sense; the necessity of instant obedience even when the way ahead is unclear.

God of Mysterious Ways, help me to hear your voice and obey even when the way ahead is unclear. Give me the ability to discern your will and obey, even when the path ahead is difficult. Teach me to trust you when your path takes me places that seem to make no sense to me. Give me the faith to trust you to provide. Amen.