And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Genesis 22:2
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. Genesis 22:8
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Genesis 22:13
This has always been such a beautiful picture of Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb to me. As I ponder the real life lessons it amazes me that Isaac lays on the altar...not a wiggly sacrifice as I tend to be when I present myself a living sacrifice. I know there is no greater pain and heartache than losing a child, yet here stands Abraham, full of faith in what God has asked him to do!! Then there is Sarah who has no earthly idea what is transpiring there on Mount Miriah. Was she not in a Spiritual place to accept and obey what the LORD had asked? What a test! I want that calm, trusting faith of Isaac and Abraham. I wonder how they got to that place in their lives? I don't suppose it was an easy road.
This spoke volumes to me this morning:
From Elizabeth Elliot's daily devotions:
Difficulties are Proof Contexts
Repeatedly I am asked variations of this question: Did the Lord comfort you or were you sometimes lonely or sad? It is not an either-or thing. If I had not been lonely and sad at times, how could I have needed, received, or appreciated comfort? It is the sick who need the physician, the thirsty who need water. This is why Paul not only did not deplore his weaknesses, he "gloried" in them, for they provided the very occasions for his appropriating divine help and strength.
It was in prison that Joseph knew the presence of the Lord.
It was in the lion's den that Daniel's faith was proved.
It was in the furnace that Daniel's three friends found themselves accompanied by a fourth.
We have plenty of "proof texts"--but in order to experience their truth we have to be placed in
"proof contexts." The prison, the lion's den, the furnace are where we are shown the realities,
incontestably and forever.
Someone very dear to my heart has been reminding me to keep my eyes on Jesus, not on the storm. I think his wise advice is the answer to all life's difficulties. As I once heard preached, "I hate flour, shortening, and unsweetened chocolate...but I love brownies!!" It will all work together for our good as promised in Romans 8:28.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Matthew 14:29
I need to remember that He Loves me with an everlasting Love. In the storm, through the storm, and out of the storm. My clouds are simply the dust of His feet.
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Naham 1:3
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. Genesis 22:8
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Genesis 22:13
This has always been such a beautiful picture of Jesus as our Sacrificial Lamb to me. As I ponder the real life lessons it amazes me that Isaac lays on the altar...not a wiggly sacrifice as I tend to be when I present myself a living sacrifice. I know there is no greater pain and heartache than losing a child, yet here stands Abraham, full of faith in what God has asked him to do!! Then there is Sarah who has no earthly idea what is transpiring there on Mount Miriah. Was she not in a Spiritual place to accept and obey what the LORD had asked? What a test! I want that calm, trusting faith of Isaac and Abraham. I wonder how they got to that place in their lives? I don't suppose it was an easy road.
This spoke volumes to me this morning:
From Elizabeth Elliot's daily devotions:
Difficulties are Proof Contexts
Repeatedly I am asked variations of this question: Did the Lord comfort you or were you sometimes lonely or sad? It is not an either-or thing. If I had not been lonely and sad at times, how could I have needed, received, or appreciated comfort? It is the sick who need the physician, the thirsty who need water. This is why Paul not only did not deplore his weaknesses, he "gloried" in them, for they provided the very occasions for his appropriating divine help and strength.
It was in prison that Joseph knew the presence of the Lord.
It was in the lion's den that Daniel's faith was proved.
It was in the furnace that Daniel's three friends found themselves accompanied by a fourth.
We have plenty of "proof texts"--but in order to experience their truth we have to be placed in
"proof contexts." The prison, the lion's den, the furnace are where we are shown the realities,
incontestably and forever.
Someone very dear to my heart has been reminding me to keep my eyes on Jesus, not on the storm. I think his wise advice is the answer to all life's difficulties. As I once heard preached, "I hate flour, shortening, and unsweetened chocolate...but I love brownies!!" It will all work together for our good as promised in Romans 8:28.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Matthew 14:29
I need to remember that He Loves me with an everlasting Love. In the storm, through the storm, and out of the storm. My clouds are simply the dust of His feet.
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Naham 1:3
