By Lynda MacFarland

 

 

“So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide;as is it is said to this day,
“On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” ~ Genisis 22:14

 

In the 22nd chapter of Genesis, we read of God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. This, to our very modern sensibilities, seems extremely harsh and even barbaric. Yet, at that time in history and in that part of the world, many other cultures and peoples practiced human sacrifice to appease their gods.

So, for Abraham, this command would be extremely difficult to follow, but it would not have been outside of his knowledge since he was a product of his time. True, the Israelites were the only monotheistic people back then, but a god, their God, who might demand sacrifices of children would not be out of the realm of possibility for Abraham. But God gave him a better way.

There was a time when I was trying to protect my only son and had to trust that God would provide for him if we would only follow His command.

I heard the Lord say to me, “Give me your only son, and I will take care of him,” while reading this passage.

Do not listen to fear

I could no longer listen to my fear that yearned to stay in safety and comfort. I knew I must listen to my faith and trust my God who was speaking to me.  I had been asking God what we should do; I was lost and so confused. His words were so sure and so obvious to me as I read that Scripture.

Following God’s will, our son thrived—not merely survived. In our little family, our only son was right where God wanted him to be, the safest place for any of us, in God’s hands.

You can follow God’s will when you have been seeking and waiting, expecting, trusting in His goodness and in His love, just like Abraham.

Prayer

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. (For the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are Yours, now and forever.) Amen.

Call to Action

Turn over to God all your concerns. Faith over fear is always the way to go. It might be a challenge to pry your fingers from what you are gripping so tightly but trust and release your cares, to the Lord because He cares for you.

 

 

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