Day 8 or January the 8th. Just be patient and have faith. Our thought today is rooted
in Genesis chapter 22 verse 8. Abraham answered, God himself will provide the lamb for the
burnt offering, my son, and the two of them went on together.
First the big picture surrounding this verse. At last the wonderful day arrives. Sarah gives
birth to a baby boy, when Abraham is one hundred years old. Now that's better than a telegram
from the queen. They decide to call him Isaac, which is rooted in the Hebrew word that means
laughter, a tangible reminder that they both laugh when they are told they will have a
baby of their own. Sadly, this results in Hagar and her son Ishmael being rejected.
God then tells Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. After all these years of waiting,
surely this can't be true. Nevertheless, he faithfully obeys and makes his way to the
land of Moriah, which is probably the area dominated by the Temple Mount in Jerusalem
today. God comes through for Abraham as he miraculously
provides an alternative sacrifice. Sarah dies at the ripe old age of 127 years, and she
is buried in a cave specially purchased in Hebron. When the time comes for Isaac to be
married, his father Abraham insists that a wife be found from their relatives living
in Neho, which is also known as Haran. Abraham's servant, who is sent to find a suitable wife
for Isaac, finds Rebekah, who is a close relative, and also willing to travel back with him to
marry Isaac, with the full support of her family.
And now our action step for today. Even though Abraham is heading for Moriah to offer Isaac
as a sacrifice, he knows God will take care of everything. He even tells Isaac that God
will provide what they need. Sometimes we worry when we can see no solution to our problems,
but God always has everything in hand. Whatever is causing you anxiety today, try to remember
that we have a Heavenly Father who can be trusted and who is totally in control, and
that includes you and your difficulties.