And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Genesis 21:1-2
- PROMISE KEEPER
Twenty five years after He made His initial promise, God enabled Sarah to conceive. She gave birth to a son and they named their baby Isaac, just as God had spoken. Sarah was still half in wonder, she could not believe that finally and at her age she was holding her own son. Isaac grew and was weaned and Abraham celebrated that same day with a great feast. Isaac was long-prayed for and his parents did not take his life for granted. He both loved him and continued to celebrate his life.
Gratitude is a necessary element of faith. Upon the birth of Isaac, Abraham followed all of God's commandments. He continued to live a righteous lifestyle, following instruction from God. When you receive a blessing, and you will, receive it with gratitude...retain it with faith and continued commitment to God. Celebrate it with love.
Our God is a promise keeper. The Bible is stuffed and loaded with all of the promises He has made and you can count on each one of them. You can count on Him.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice because of God, communicate with Him, express gratitude toward Him. Such is the proper care and handling of blessing.
- NOW I KNOW
At this point, we are aware of how much of a blessing Isaac's life was to Abraham and Sarah. They prayed hard, waited long, and persisted in faith. That is only part of the reason so many people are shocked and even disturbed by what happened to Abraham one night: God instructed him to offer young Isaac up as a sacrifice. Abraham rose up early in the morning to do it.
Don't panic: Abraham knew that God would not actually require him to sacrifice Isaac.
Isaac was the promise fulfilled. The conduit through which the ultimate, initial blessing would come. God told Abraham so: "...but my covenant I will establish with Isaac (Genesis 17:21 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.)." And what was the covenant?
And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you...
Genesis 17:9-10
Abraham rose up early in the morning to follow God's command because He knew that God had made a promise to him, had established a covenant with him, and both relied upon Isaac. After they climbed the the mountain together and prepared the altar for a sacrifice, Isaac asked Abraham: "Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
But this question is not ironic or awkward or pitiable! Abraham confidently, faithful answered Isaac: "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Indeed Abraham trusted God so much that he was able to place Isaac on the alter and even lift his knife...
Abraham knew that God would not allow harm to be done to Isaac... and God then knew that Abraham would not falter in faith in God. Abraham would never withhold anything from God; He understood that everything he had was from God. He believed that God was a promise keeper and therefore he never believed that Isaac was at risk. He was willing to submit everything, His whole life and every element of it, to God's will because He trusted God with it. All of it.
- YEHOVEH YIREH
Abraham named that place Yehoveh Yireh: God will provide. God had provided all his life. He will provide for yours. The story of Abraham and Isaac, a father, sacrificing his son should sound familiar. Indeed Genesis 22 foreshadows Jesus' resurrection. The son of God sacrificed for humanity. God provided the Lamb: Jesus, who would volunteer Himself to serve as proof of God's word and eternal kingdom.
This this expedition with Abraham and Issac, forces us to realize that God will always provide more than He expects us to give... even though it is we who owe Him everything.
This this expedition with Abraham and Issac, forces us to realize that God will always provide more than He expects us to give... even though it is we who owe Him everything.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:8-10... because faith makes the difference between dwelling in the House of God or the Heap of Ruin. Give God full authority in your life, be grateful He takes it. Let His will override your desire. Trust His timing; submit to the wait. It's not easy but it's wise. It's not always fun but it's always good. When God decides what comes in, what goes out and when we will see that we are well and truly provided for.