God Provides

In Genesis chapter 22, we read about the time the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. But that day, the Lord provided a ram in place of Abraham’s son. Here are three applications about God’s provision from that story.

1. God provides in His time.

We can make all the plans in the world based on when we think we need and want something. But those plans don’t always fit into God’s timetable. If I were Abraham, I would love to have known that God was gonna provide for me before I even headed out the door. But God waits until the last minute, like he often does. From our human perspective, we think we know best. But our conclusions are limited to our own knowledge. So, we’ve got this temporary viewpoint, while God sees the eternal picture and all the implications.

So, here’s the question: Can we pray and trust like Abraham did when we’re in that season of waiting, and we don’t like the answers we’re getting? It can get frustrating, can’t it? When you’re just waiting for your wife to love you again… When a relative gets a bad health diagnosis… When you’re trying to figure out what to do with your aging parents… When your child is going through some rough times at school… Can you say, “Lord, you’re gonna have to help us through this right now because we don’t know how to get through it except to trust that you’re at work and that you’re gonna use what Satan intends for evil to somehow bring about good”?

One theologian says, “When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat.

The Bible says that we’re gonna go through trials. And if we’re sincere about our walk with Jesus, then we can expect ridicule. It’s in those moments that we’ll either be refined or we’ll melt. We’ll either give in to temptation or we’ll rely on the Lord to pass the test. God provides, but he does so in his time.

2. God provides in His way.

He’s got a method to what seems like madness.

Genesis 22:12 says…

12 Then [God] said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”

When you decide to follow Jesus, he promises to provide what you need, not necessarily what you want. It’s a journey of faith. But he loves to reward sincere expressions of trust and obedience. It comes back to our relying on him. Do we have a faith like Abraham that would allow us to give up what’s dearest to us in our lives? Are we willing to make some sacrifices of things that may be really important to us?

I don’t know what it could be for you, whether it’s a season of stress or tribulation or trial or whatever. I do know that the stakes won’t be nearly as high for you as they were for Abraham. But whatever the case, in those moments, your heart will be pounding.

Maybe this Christmas season, it’ll be the holiday party at work, and the subject turns to religion. And you know that you’ve got to say something about your faith. But do you really want to open yourself up to scrutiny from your coworkers? Say something, or protect your reputation? This could be your Mount Moriah moment.

Maybe you’re a college student, and while you’re in class, the professor starts to mock Christianity. You know you should say something. Do you open your mouth, knowing the professor will ridicule you in front of your peers? Speak up for Jesus, or keep your identity in Christ concealed? This could be your Mount Moriah moment.

Or maybe things are tight at home with your finances. You could cut some ethical corners with the numbers at the office and drastically improve some much-needed job security and pad your bank account at the same time. Or maybe you can find some other ways to unethically and immorally make some extra money. You could try your luck at gambling or something like that. Do you choose to trust God that he’ll provide, or do you take matters into your own hands? This could be your Mount Moriah moment.

God provides in his way.

3. God provides for His purposes.

Genesis 22:13 says…

13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

Isn’t that just like God? How often do things happen in our lives that appear to be coincidences, and it’s really God at work? God provides in ways rarely how we think he’ll do it. He’s unpredictable and surprising at times. God provided the ram in place of Isaac.

Genesis 22:14-17 says…

14 And Abraham named that place The LORD Will Provide, so today it is said, “It will be provided on the LORD’S mountain.” 15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the LORD’S declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore…”

Now, I want to make sure you catch this. Rarely does God intervene miraculously and dramatically to save the day. This is not the rule; it’s the exception. But one thing is true across the board. God does his best work when everything seems hopeless. God himself will provide the lamb.

And when you think of a pure, spotless lamb, it’s easy to make the transition to think about a baby in a manger. On that first Christmas, God left heaven and came to earth. Divinity was clothed with humanity. He stooped beneath the lowest roof in all of Bethlehem and was born to a peasant couple who loved God and were faithful to him. But here’s what’s unique: This baby grew up and remained pure and spotless. Hebrews says that he was tempted in every way just like we are, but he did not sin at all. He was perfect.

Then on that first Black Friday, God darkened the sky from 9 AM until 3 PM and provided the lamb. Some 2000 years after Abraham said to Isaac, “God himself will provide the lamb,” God did it again. Only this time, the Lamb was the only Son of God. Jesus became the lamb, the sacrifice, and it was his pure and innocent blood that washed away all of our sins. God does his best work when everything seems hopeless. He did it on Mount Moriah. And he did it on Mount Calvary.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says…

21 [God] made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What an offer! God is still the Lord who provides, Jehovah Jireh. So, when you wonder how you can experience forgiveness and amazing grace, the answer is always the same: God himself will provide the lamb. And he did. His name is Jesus.