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Day 8 or January the 8th. Just be patient and have faith. Our thought today is rooted

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in Genesis chapter 22 verse 8. Abraham answered, God himself will provide the lamb for the

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burnt offering, my son, and the two of them went on together.

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First the big picture surrounding this verse. At last the wonderful day arrives. Sarah gives

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birth to a baby boy, when Abraham is one hundred years old. Now that's better than a telegram

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from the queen. They decide to call him Isaac, which is rooted in the Hebrew word that means

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laughter, a tangible reminder that they both laugh when they are told they will have a

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baby of their own. Sadly, this results in Hagar and her son Ishmael being rejected.

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God then tells Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. After all these years of waiting,

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surely this can't be true. Nevertheless, he faithfully obeys and makes his way to the

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land of Moriah, which is probably the area dominated by the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

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today. God comes through for Abraham as he miraculously

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provides an alternative sacrifice. Sarah dies at the ripe old age of 127 years, and she

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is buried in a cave specially purchased in Hebron. When the time comes for Isaac to be

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married, his father Abraham insists that a wife be found from their relatives living

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in Neho, which is also known as Haran. Abraham's servant, who is sent to find a suitable wife

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for Isaac, finds Rebekah, who is a close relative, and also willing to travel back with him to

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marry Isaac, with the full support of her family.

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And now our action step for today. Even though Abraham is heading for Moriah to offer Isaac

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as a sacrifice, he knows God will take care of everything. He even tells Isaac that God

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will provide what they need. Sometimes we worry when we can see no solution to our problems,

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but God always has everything in hand. Whatever is causing you anxiety today, try to remember

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that we have a Heavenly Father who can be trusted and who is totally in control, and

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that includes you and your difficulties.