Scripture: Genesis 22:14
“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.’” (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. Abraham had so much faith in God, and was obedient to the point of preparing to sacrifice Isaac when God, at the last moment, provided the lamb needed for the sacrifice.
What can we learn from Abraham’s encounter with God?
We are called upon to sacrifice the BIG “I” or SELF 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.
Daily, we are called upon to put to death the misdeeds of the body. Daily, we need the power of the cross to crucify the sinful desires that constantly rear their ugly head. Daily, we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us say “no” to the lures of the world that would keep us from presenting ourselves as instruments of righteousness for expanding the Kingdom of God.
Yes, the BIG “I” or SELF, needs to be tightly fastened to the altar of sacrifice. If we consent to obeying God in this exercise, God will provide the substitute of his life of empowerment, blessing, and fulfillment far beyond anything we could ask, think, or imagine. As we give SELF to him, he gives himself and his LIFE to us.
Today, ask yourself:
Have I allowed the Lord to break me so he can live his life through me? Have I placed the BIG “I” at the foot of the cross?
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