Ram

 

11/11/2020

Genesis 22:2 “Take now thy son…”

When God commands me to do something, do I do it? Sometimes. When God commands me to do something difficult, do I do it? Sometimes, but I often try hard to get out of it, reasoning that I am not up to it physically or emotionally, or I am not skilled in the area He wants me to walk into. Sometimes my excuse is that I am far too busy. However I try to justify my lack of action and compliance, this attitude does not honor or glorify God. Chambers writes, “It is extraordinary how we debate! We know what is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it at once. To climb to the height God shows can never be presently, it must be done now. The sacrifice is gone through in will before it is performed actually.”

Today’s scripture is taken from the part of Genesis where God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering. In the passage, Abraham does not hesitate. Nor does he ignore or argue with God. He begins preparation at once to go up the mountain with his son. When Isaac asks about the lamb to be sacrificed, Abraham tell him that God will provide. I can only imagine how Abraham must have been feeling as he and his son ascended that mountain, how precious those moments together must have been. Abraham was acting with a fullness of faith in surrender to God. This act of devotion and total submission was mightily blessed, and another sacrifice was provided: God sent a ram.

Dan, a good friend of my husband who is a man of deep faith and powerful prayers, has said this to my husband many times over the past few months: “God will send a ram.” I know that my husband has held onto this idea as he climbs his current mountain. It reminds him that, if he remains faithful and does what God commands, God will bless him on his journey. Unlike Abraham, he is not being asked to sacrifice his only son, but he is being asked to sacrifice his pride, practice patience, and wait for the ram on his path. Chambers write, “If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace, if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him.” With either cup given, I can be secure in the love and mercy of my Heavenly Father. With either cup, I can praise and honor my God. With either cup, I can proclaim the Good News of the gospel. Chambers writes, “You must go through the crucible before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because in the crucible you learn to know God better. God is working for His highest ends until His purpose and man’s purpose become one.”