1432 He Provides Here

This weekend, while hosting the BIG Life Retreat in Lake Tahoe, California, I had a moment of absolute awe and wonder. There were about 12 of us gathered around a table on the top deck of a gorgeous log cabin in the tall pine trees. Sitting around this table, I listened to the stories of these women. Stories of abuse and neglect. Stories of broken marriages, hardships beyond my imagination, regretted choices, loss, tragedy and pure heartache. And yet, here they all were. Gathered around a table where God always said they belonged. Destined for this beautiful place where they would see God’s faithful hand in every detail, even when it didn’t make sense. And to think, all along, God knew the moment would come where he would gather these precious souls together for an experience that would show them just how chosen they are. Just how redeemed they are. Just how divine God’s plans for their life have always been. And how he is providing every step of the way. And if he did it then, won’t he do it again?!!!! Today, we will revisit the story of Abraham and Sarah. Remember, they’re the old couple way beyond child bearing years that carried a promise from God for a future family. And against all odds of possibility, and even after their own terrible choices in the wait, they have their baby boy, Issac. Life was now good, they have what they want. Their son Issac is growing up and he’s a good boy. He’s everything they ever imagined. Everyday they were waking up to the life they had prayed for. And then God asked for it back as a sacrifice. This child for whom they had prayed, this miracle which God had given them, their hope and their future was now at risk. Genesis chapter 22 in my bible is titled “Abraham Tested”. I wonder if the current chapter in your life could be titled something similar. You’re being tested. And if you are, you need to understand what you will find through this test. Genesis 22: 1-2 says “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Yes, the son which Abraham had waited 100 years for, his pride and joy, his hope for the future is now being requested to be sacrificed by God. How do you even come to terms with that? Yo, like what God? You want me to give up the single most precious thing you have given to me? Now imagine being the mama in this story for a moment. Imagine looking out the kitchen window and seeing your husband gathering wood. Wood for a fire. A fire that would burn an offering to God. A sacrifice. She must have known. She must have wanted with every ounce of her to run after her husband and son as they carried the wood to a mountain to build the fire. What a mother Sarah was. What an example for us today. She was willing to sacrifice the best she had for the greater good in full trust that God would redeem it. Did you hear that? GOD WILL REDEEM IT. What if she would have held on too tightly? What if she would have gotten stuck in that moment and it caused her to sacrifice what God had already aligned for her next moment? What if she would have done what every single one of us would want to do – go slap your husband, call him crazy, and grab your child. Then become bitter at God for even asking. But she didn’t. She watched as they walked away carrying the wood. She trusted God would follow through with his promise to not only give them a son, but build nations from them. I wonder if we hold so tightly to that which God has given us that we restrict life from fully flowing through us? I wonder if we treasure the gift so much that the gift itself becomes more precious than the giver? I wonder if we really truly trust God with the very things which he gave us first? And I wonder if we get so caught up in the hardsh