Listen:
“So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” (Genesis 22:14)
Reflect:
Genesis 22 is one of the more challenging stories in scripture for me to understand. Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son? Would I have the same commitment to follow through on a request like that? As numerous questions fill my mind, God continues to redirect my thoughts back to Him. Genesis 22 isn’t just about Abraham, and it isn’t about me either. This story is about Jehovah Jireh. This passage of scripture is about a God who provided a sacrifice for Abraham in order to spare his son. Ultimately, this story points to a God who would provide his own perfect son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to spare humanity from an eternity separated from Him.
I am coming out of a season where I desperately desired rescuing, but rescue did not come. After much crying out and wrestling in prayer, I have concluded that God, the perfect provider, did not provide the rescue I wanted because he was providing something I needed more. He knew I needed to walk through a dark valley of disappointment allowing grace to be my guide.
I don’t know what you need. I don’t always know what I need. But God knows and he will provide for you and for me accordingly. In the scenario when something or someone we love is stripped away, when this broken world attempts to break us, the Lord is our strength. The Lord is our comforter. The Lord is our provider, and Jehovah Jireh is enough.
Questions to Ponder:
- When was the last time you experienced God’s perfect provision?
- Has Jehovah Jireh always provided for you in the way you expected?
- When was a time God’s provision looked different from what you were hoping?
Prayer of Response:
Lord, help me to rest in the truth that you are good, that you know what I need and that you will faithfully provide for me especially when the world and my circumstances try to convince me otherwise. Thank you for loving me and for providing a way through Jesus’ death and resurrection for me to live in relationship with you. Jehovah Jireh, your provision is perfect and I praise your holy name. Amen.
—Submitted by Erinne Baker
Erinne and husband, Travis live in Klamath Falls, Oregon where they are raising their four kids: Charlotte(9), Benjamin(6), William(5) and Wyatt(18 months). She is a pastor and lifelong learner of what it means to trust God, and live a life fueled by love and grace.
Featured image from FreeBibleimages.org
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