Genesis 22:2-"Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love-Isaac-and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you." (NIV) 

Have you ever thought about what your response would be if God asked you to do something as crazy as what He asked Abraham to do? Has God ever asked you to do something that at the time made no sense? Is God asking you to do something today that totally doesn't make sense? I do not mean sacrificing a loved one but something just as challenging?

Can you imagine what Abraham must have been thinking when God asked him to do something that made no sense to him. Sacrifice the Son of Promise-Isaac! (Genesis 15:4-6) God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He and Sarah would have a son that would be a fulfillment of that promise. (Genesis 21:1-3) Now the son had been born and everything was going according to God's plan. Then God asked Abraham to do the unthinkable, "Sacrifice Isaac on a mountain." Why? What was the purpose? What was God doing?

This story is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament. To me it shows what it truly means to be a follower of Christ and how to walk in strict obedience to God our Father. God has never asked me to sacrifice a son but he has asked me to sacrifice things in my life that have become an idol. Something that is taking God's place in my life that has been reserved for Him only. I believe the real question God was asking Abraham was, "Am I the most important thing in your life?" 

Abraham loved Isaac. He knew that through Isaac God's promise would be fulfilled. Abraham was dealing with a crisis of faith. Does he obey God and sacrifice his son or does he protect his son and disobey God? The answer is found in Genesis 22:11-12-"But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham! 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 passed the test. God knew He was the most important thing in Abraham's life. God knew Abraham would walk faithfully with Him.

God did provide the sacrificial lamb that day. It was on the mountain of Moriah that Abraham learned and called God by the name, "Jehovah-Jireh-the Lord will Provide." God did provide and Abraham and Isaac learned that trusting the Lord with everything in their lives will always lead to seeing God's faithfulness and provision. 

One of the greatest statements of faith and trust in all of scripture is Genesis 22:5, 8-"He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." "Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the Lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Abraham knew God and he knew that God keeps His promises. God promised a son and He promised this son would allow him to become the father of many nations.

Today, we can have this type of faith. The faith that trusts God even when we do not fully understand the outcome of our obedience. If God is asking you to do something outside your comfort zone, know that He will provide everything you need for it to be accomplished. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is able to do what He has called us to do.  He will fulfill His promise and purpose for our lives.

Prayer-Dear Lord Jesus, help me to have the kind of faith that Abraham showed regarding his son, Isaac. Help me to be quick to obey your word. Give me the wisdom, strength and courage to follow you every day. Thanks for always being with me. You are Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord my provider. Amen!