WEBVTT

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Day 8, or January the 8th. Just be patient and

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have faith. Our thought today is rooted in Genesis

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chapter 22, verse 8. Abraham answered, God himself

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will provide the lamb for the burnt offering,

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my son. And the two of them went on together.

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First, the big picture surrounding this verse.

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At last the wonderful day arrives. Sarah gives

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birth to a baby boy, when Abraham is 100 years

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old. Now that's better than a telegram from the

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queen. They decide to call him Isaac, which is

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rooted in the Hebrew word that means laughter,

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a tangible reminder that they both laugh when

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they are told they will have a baby of their

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own. Sadly, this results in Hagar and her son

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Ishmael being rejected. God then tells Abraham

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to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. After all these

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years of waiting, surely this can't be true.

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Nevertheless, he faithfully obeys and makes his

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way to the land of Moriah, which is probably

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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

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at the ripe old age of 127 years, and she is

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buried in a cave specially purchased in Hebron.

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When the time comes for Isaac to be married,

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his father Abraham insists that a wife be found

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from their relatives living in Nahor, which is

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also known as Haran. Abraham's servant, who is

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sent to find a suitable wife for Isaac, finds

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Rebekah, who is a close relative, and also willing

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to travel back with him to marry Isaac, with

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the full support of her family. And now our action

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step for today. Even though Abraham is heading

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for Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he

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knows God will take care of everything. He even

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tells Isaac that God will provide what they need.

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Sometimes we worry when we can see no solution

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to our problems, but God always has everything

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in hand. Whatever is causing you anxiety today,

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try to remember that we have a heavenly Father

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who can be trusted, and who is totally in control,

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and that includes you and your difficulties.