Advent(Dec. 7): Here I Am

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.”

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together.

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven,“Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Genesis 22:1-2, 6. 11-14

Abraham answered when God called him.

“Here I am,” he replied.

(which is another way of saying, "I love you.")

The Bible tells us that this whole thing was just a test of Abraham’s faith.  

 While Abraham walked by faith under the command of God, God was preparing a meeting on the top. God was preparing a ram. This ram had no business being in this area. 
Abraham’s problem and God’s solution were coming up the same mountain, but the problem couldn’t see the solution until it paid the price to reach the top.”(source)

And the Bible says, “Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

"God will provide is that He has provided a lamb for us. 

 God sacrificed Himself in the form of His Son Jesus."

"And because God has provided a lamb for us, we can take to His cross all of our baggage; all the anger, pain, and guilt from a lifetime of misunderstandings and betrayals can be washed clean in the only solvent that breaks down every sin – the blood of Jesus."

God provides all of your needs...

But the most important thing God provides is freedom from the sins we have committed and the sins committed against us; we have a cross to put them on because God has given us a lamb for our salvation just like He did for Abraham.(source)

Do we worry? 

"Worry is always belief gone wrong. Because you don't believe that God will get it right."

It is not our job to question how God will work out circumstances in our life. Just know that with whatever promise he has given he has already made the provision. (source)

"Peace is belief that exhales. Because you believe that God's love is everywhere = like air."

Have we been ready and willing when we hear God calling us?

Do we readily answer Him, saying "Here I am", which is another way of saying, "I love you?"

"God wants all of His miraculous children to be living presents to Him, to be living sacrifices, living gifts. God wants all of his children to say every day to Him, "Here I am" - which is another word for "I love You".

"What would it look like to trust God with your whole heart today?"

I think of one of my top verses - one that I am always quoting, as a reminder to myself.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippian 4:6-7

Come back tomorrow, as I share Day 8 of the Advent Calender...

in the book, "Unwrapping the Greatest Gift".(All quotes listed are from the book, unless indicated.)

From December 1st to December 25th

I will be sharing each story in this beautiful book, as well as some of the breathtaking pictures. Won't you join me? Stop by each day to see the stories shared. If you would prefer I email you each days post, please leave your email in the comments section or send me an email at apop12341@hotmail.com 
and let me know. I will make sure each post is sent to you.

To view the whole series on one page, go HERE

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