So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14, NIV)
What an incredibly intense encounter with God! Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. Nothing was more precious to Abraham than his son. But Abraham had faith in God, and was obedient to the point of preparing to sacrifice Isaac when God. At the last moment, God provided the lamb needed for the sacrifice.
What can we learn from Abraham’s encounter with God? We are called to sacrifice the big “I” at the foot of the cross. We do this by trusting in God’s provision for our salvation. We renounce, reject, and repent from trusting in self-justification by works, behavior, or anything else for our salvation. Instead, through faith, we accept the gift of Jesus’s sacrifice of his own life on our behalf. God has provided for us.
We need the power of the cross to crucify our sinful desires that constantly rear their ugly heads. We need the Holy Spirit to help us say “no” to the lures of the world that keep us from presenting ourselves as instruments of righteousness for expanding the Kingdom of God.
Each one of us needs to tightly fasten our “I” to the altar of sacrifice. When we obey God, he will provide his life of empowerment, blessing, and fulfillment far beyond anything we can ask, think, or imagine. As we give ourselves to him, he gives his life to us.
Today, ask yourself:
In what ways am I allowing God to provide for me?
How has this website helped you?