Skip to main content

God Himself Will Provide


          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.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
          But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” 
          “Here I am,” he replied.
            “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
                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 The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided. (Genesis 22:7-14)



JEHOVAH-JIREH meaning “The Lord will provide”
          I love the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. I especially love Abraham's statement "God himself will provide the lamb for the burned offering." God created all lambs and rams, so yes, God provided. God gave Isaac to Abraham in his old age, so yes, God provided. God arranged for the specific ram in the story, so yes, God provided. God sacrificed the Lamb at the right point in history, so yes, God provided. In addition, good leaders have told me that they never ask anyone to do what they are not willing to do themselves. God asked Abraham, but God also went through with what he spared Abraham from carrying out.  Like Isaac, Jesus went willingly. Can you imagine Abraham (over 100 years old) trying to physically subdue a teenage boy?
          The second part of Jehovah-Jireh's provision to Abraham is an important lesson for us. Abraham was seventy-five before he left Ur and went to the land Jehovah-Jireh provided to him. He was a hundred years old when Isaac was born. He and Sarah waited all their lives before God provided Isaac to them, and they died while waiting for the land that was promised to them to be theirs.
     I don't know why God makes someone wait in any particular circumstance. Sometimes we have to wait because we need to be taught or reminded that Jehovah-Jireh is God and we are not. If we got everything we wanted when we wanted, we would effectively rule God and our only reason for talking to Him would be to place an order. Sometimes, we need to develop the strength of character to wait. Waiting makes us stronger. It can also make our desire for what God is providing more mature. Sometimes, God waits before providing because He is working things together, getting everything in place. It's almost like He's dimming the house lights and waiting for everyone to sit down before He reveals what He has done. No matter what we think He is providing, what He is trying to provide to us - and what he wants us to seek - is Him. God is the Jehovah-Jireh who provides Jehovah to us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more