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Lights Will Guide You Home

God Is With You—Always

In the journey of faith, you need a revelation—not just a knowledge of, or a hope for, but a guiding light that never dims as it shows you the way through the fog of life; a light that continually reveals a God who is with you always, who’s got your back no matter what you encounter, whose power, not yours, will see you through, who will finish what he’s started in you and who will faithfully guide you home.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 28:12-15

As Jacob slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. At the top of the stairway stood the Lord, and he said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”

To call it the road less travelled would be an understatement. Jesus referred to it as the straight and narrow way, the path of denial, the way of death. Without exception, every giant of faith in Scripture knew of the difficulty of the walk; they experienced it in a variety of manifestations: the pit, the prison, the wilderness, the cave, and the place of exile. Of course, I am talking about the journey of faith.

So why would anyone in their right mind ever choose to enter the way of faith, seeing from such examples that it is the most difficult calling in life? Simply because it is the one and only way to real life—abundant life now and eternal life forever—that’s why!

But to traverse this hard road—to start strong and finish well—the traveller needs a guiding revelation. That is what Jacob received at Bethel, where in a dream of a stairway to heaven, God spoke to him and assured this wandering patriarch-in-training that he would bring to pass everything that had been previously promised to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham and his father, Isaac.

Similar to Jacob, every believing traveller needs a guiding revelation, whether the revelation comes from a dream (not too likely in this era of God’s activity among humans) or through the Word of God brought to life by the Holy Spirit (a much more likely—and sure—way to receive Divine instructions). And like the divine download Jacob received, that revelation is simply, yet powerfully this:

The promise of God’s presence: “What’s more, I am with you…” (Genesis 28:15a)

The promise of divine preservation: “…and I will protect you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15b)

The promise supernatural power: “One day I will bring you back to this land.” (Genesis 28:15c)

The promise of an inalterable plan: “I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15d)

Without a revelation—not just a knowledge of, or a hope for, but a rock-solid belief system that becomes your fulcrum of faith—that God is and always will be with you, that he’s got your back no matter what you encounter or are forced to endure, that his power, not yours, will see you through and that he will finish what he has started, you will not complete the journey of faith on the road less traveled.

I know that sounds ominous, but the good news is, success in the journey is not up to you. It is all on God. You just need to commit to the path, ask and receive the guiding revelation, then pursue it with an unfailing focus on the finish, for there is no destination that compares to where you are headed.

Of course, what I have just described doesn’t sound easy. It’s not, but it is worth it. And again, once you commit to the way of faith, heart, soul, mind and strength, you have Someone who will be with you, will protect you, will fulfill his every promise to you, and will finish in you what he started.

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Go with God—I promise you, you won’t regret it!

Going Deeper: Ask God to reveal his character to you. He will! Get in the journey through is Word, and like Jacob, at some point along the way, you will have your own personal Bethel.

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God’s Vision For Your Child

Show Them The Divine Plan

God has a unique design and a special purpose for every child’s life. It’s the highest priority of the parent to discover, cultivate and delight in that design—not to manipulate it into their own vision for the child. Learning from the parental mistakes of the Biblical Isaac and Rebekah, moms and dads must neither be an “Isaac” — disengage and see what happens, nor a “Rebekah” — helicopter in and rescue the child from every danger. Rather, parents must partner with the Divine Designer who gave their little one life in order to bring out the God-colors as he or she develops.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 27:1-10

One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau&, his older son, and said, “My son…I am an old man now, and I don’t know when I may die. Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out to hunt some wild game for me. Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.” But Rebekah overheard what Isaac had said to Esau. So when Esau left to go hunting, she said to her son Jacob, “Listen to me. Do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks, and bring me two fine young goats. I’ll use them to prepare your father’s favorite dish. Then take the food to your father so he can eat it and bless you instead before he dies.”

Like all parents, Isaac and Rebekah were far from perfect. The father was detached—aloof to the family dynamic played out in this narrative—but complicit in it, nonetheless. The mother was overly-involved, manipulatively so. She had a helicoptering style of parenting: hovering over her favorite son, swooping in to the rescue whenever she perceived that people were hostile to him and circumstances were non-conducive to her plan for his life.

Speaking of which, Rebekah had a vision for Jacob’s life, and in a sense, it wasn’t far off from God’s grand vision for his life. The problem was, she mismanaged the details and the process of the vision in a big way. She felt God needed help fulfilling the Divine plan for Jacob—and she was willing to compromise her moral authority to get the desired result.

By the way, God worked through the dumb things these parents did, as he does with the mistakes we make with our children–thank God.  As John Newton wrote, “We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own.” But negative consequences were unleashed in the patriarchal family dynamic that lasted for decades, and you might even say, for generations.

It’s easy for parents to often confuse their desire for their child’s life with what is really best for that child. It’s the classic story of the high school quarterback who insists on turning his son into an NFL prospect by age 10, or the former home-coming queen who now dresses her little four-year-old up like Miss America, or the high achieving parents who insist that the school treat their second-grader like a Rhodes Scholar.

Christian parents sometimes get their plan mixed up with what God’s vision is for their child. Rebekah did that—and she felt God needed help fulfilling it. And she was willing to compromise. Predictably, Jacob, low in moral character, was more afraid of getting caught than doing wrong—so he went along with his mother’s deception. And that would be the beginning of many more poor choices to come.

God has a unique design and a special purpose for every child’s life. It is the highest priority of the parent to discover, understand, cultivate and delight in that design—not to manipulate it into their vision for the child’s life. A parent must not become a “Rebekah”—manipulative and controlling, helicopter in and rescue the child from every danger. Nor should a parent become an “Isaac” —disengage and see what happens! Rather, the parent must learn to partner with the One who gave the child life in order to bring out the God-colors in that child’s life.

If you are a parent, or involved in rearing the child in any way—as a caregiver, teacher, mentor, coach—the methods you use must never be inconsistent with God’s character, design and plan. You have a precious gem in your care, so take care how you cut and polish that diamond! And never forget, the greatest gift you can give that child is your example. It’s the thumbprint you leave behind for generations to come.

Many years ago a Christian magazine presented some interesting facts about two families. In 1677 an immoral man married a immoral woman. Of the 1900 descendants that came from their marriage, 771 were criminals, 250 were arrested for various crimes—60 for theft and 39 were convicted for murder. Forty of the women were known to have venereal disease. They spent a combined total of 1300 years behind bars, costing the state millions of dollars.

The other family was the Edwards family—the third generation included Jonathan Edwards, the great New England revivalist and president of Princeton. Of the 1,344 descendants, several were college presidents and professors, 186 became ministers, 86 were state senators, 3 were Congressmen, 30 were judges, and 1 became Vice President of the United States. No reference can be found to anyone spending time in jail or in the poorhouse.

Not all children of good parents become amazing adults, nor do children of bad parents always turn out bad. But no one can deny, a parent’s example is extremely powerful – either for good or for evil, sometimes for generations to come!

God has a vision for every child’s life. Carefully, worshipfully, discover the Divine design. And never forget, an act of faith and obedience in following God’s vision for that child’s life today can reverse the curse of family imperfections. A step of faith right now may just be that which will release the blessings of God upon your children’s children!

Going Deeper: Consider the child that God has place under your influence. Take care how you cut and polish the diamond. It matters to God.

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The Blessability Factor

"Oh, That You Would Bless Me!"

Jesus came to give us life more abundantly—a blessed life, life to the full, life overflowing with God’s generosity. For sure, first and foremost, that means spiritually. But that fullness ought to impact us in every other area as well: emotionally, physically, relationally, and financially. It is that kind of blessable life that is perhaps the most compelling Christian witness of all.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 26:28

Abimelech answered Isaac, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us…”

Just as God had sovereignly blessed his father, Abraham, with untold abundance, so God graciously poured out his blessings upon Isaac, who became uncommonly successful. One of the interesting interchanges in this story is the conversation that took place between King Abimelech, in whose land Isaac dwelt, and Isaac regarding this uncommon success.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone like the one captured in this verse: “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you”? Shouldn’t the people of God be attractive to non-believers because of the Lord’s blessings on their lives? Shouldn’t the benefits of walking with God be visible, at least to some extent, causing those who observe us to also admire us?

Of course, not all of God’s blessings are visible, external, and in particular, financial, but we should expect that some blessings will be. For Isaac, God had blessed him with herds and servants to the point that the leaders of the community in which he lived took notice.

Yet even those blessings that are internal and spiritual in nature should also have some observable outward manifestations in our lives. The joy, peace and favor of the Lord ought to translate onto our countenance and into our voices and out through our actions. The knowledge of eternal life ought to give us such a security and confidence that others become aware of “sometime they can’t quite put their finger on” about us, and that ought to cause them to want to know more.

Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus wants that for you—a blessed life, life to the full, life overflowing with God’s generosity. For sure, first and foremost, that means spiritually. But that fullness ought to impact you in every other area as well: emotionally, physically, relationally, and financially.

It is that kind of blessed and blessable life that is perhaps the most compelling Christian witness of all.

My prayer for you and me is that we may become “Kingdom magnets” because of the abundance of God’s continual blessings upon our lives!

Going Deeper: In light of what you’ve observed about Isaac’s life, here is a payer you might want to offer today: “Father, as Jabez prayed so I pray, ‘Oh, that you would bless me, indeed, and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ God, you granted his request, so now I ask that you would grant mine, too.”

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I Am a Friend of God

It Takes Faith and Hope

Is it even within the realm of possibility for a human being to be known as a friend of God—by God? Yep! Abraham attained the lofty status of God’s friend, and Romans 4:24 says you can, too: “But it’s not just Abraham; it’s also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless.” (MSG)

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 25: 7-8

Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

Reading the story of Abraham in Genesis can lead to only one conclusion: This man was a true hero of the faith! Here’s a guy who was saved by faith even before there was a Bible or the Law or Christ’s death and resurrection or a community of faith. God appeared to Abraham one day—we’re not even sure if he’d had any previous interaction with God or if this was simply an out-of-the-blue encounter—and Abraham said, “Okay God—I’m on board. What’s next?” Abraham then went on a life-long journey with God in which he became known as a friend of God—a pretty cool designation, I’d say—the genetic father of God’s people, the Jews, and the spiritual father of all who believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ:

His faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. (Romans 4:16-17)

Obviously, Abraham was a very special man, and the Bible holds him up as an example to emulate for believers like you and me. We all ought to be Abraham-like in the spiritual dimension of our lives. But is that even possible? Is there even the smallest chance that I can develop that same kind of Abraham-like relationship with God? Can I attain a walk with God that will be an Abraham-like example to others? And if it’s possible, then how? Well, it is possible! Paul goes on to say,

But it’s not just Abraham; it’s also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. (Romans 4:24, MSG)

How can we attain friendship with God? I can sum up the “how” in two words: Faith and hope—technically, that’s three words, but work with me! First, you’ve got to make resurrection the foundation of your faith. That’s what Abraham did! Romans 4:17 says, “Abraham believed in the God who brings back the dead to life.” Abraham was a little ahead of his time—like a few thousand years—but he believed in the God of the resurrection. What Paul is referring to here is the story of God’s call to Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac on the altar (you can read the story in Genesis 22), and Abraham’s willingness to actually go through with it. Why would Abraham be willing to do such a thing? Because he had faith in the God of the resurrection—the God who could, and would, raise Isaac back to life again. The truth is, to have that kind of Abraham-like faith, you and I have to have that same Abraham-like trust in the God of the resurrection. If you don’t have a foundational and resolute belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and his promise to resurrect you from the dead, your faith will not only not develop to Abraham-like proportions, it will be meaningless. Paul teaches us in I Corinthians 15:14, “If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” In other words, if we have no faith in the God of the resurrection, then I am wasting my energy writing this blog…and you’re wasting your time reading it…and you’ll never come close to living an Abraham-like life of faith. But the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead proves that God is who he said he is and will fulfill what he has promised to do. And the faith you place in the God who resurrects the dead will empower you to live the kind of God-honoring faith that Abraham had. Second, you’ve got to claim resurrection as the basis of your hope. That, too, is what Abraham did. Romans 4:18 tells us that “even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept on hoping”…believing in God’s promises that one day he would be the father of many nations when his only son, through whom his lineage would continue, was about to die. In other words, Abraham didn’t let his circumstances dominate his life; he allowed God’s promises to dictate his life. Abraham believed that if Isaac was going to die on the altar, God would raise him to life. That was his hope. I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about this, but the exercise of that kind of hope is arguably the most powerful discipline you can engage as a believer. Count Bismarck said, “Without the hope of [Christian resurrection], this life is not worth the effort of getting dressed in the morning.” He was right! Christian hope is that important, and that powerful. Karl Marx proclaimed that religious hope is the opiate of the people. But Hebrews 6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure.” And Paul writes in Romans 5:5 that this “hope does not disappoint us!” Do you practice hope? I’m not talking about the breezy kind of optimism that Mary Martin sang about in South Pacific when she crooned, “I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope.” I’m talking about the exercise of hope that declares that you are choosing to believe in God’s promises, not just in spite of the evidence, but in scorn of the consequences. We’ve been called to practice that kind of hope. Faith, hope and the resurrection…that was Abraham’s secret. I have faith that it will be your secret too…at least I hope so!

Going Deeper: Here is a prayer I would encourage you to offer up right now: “Father Abraham had many sons, and I want to be one of them. I want to offer the same kind of believing faith that led him to follow you without knowing the destination, to obey you when it seemed foolish, and to stare death in the face and express the hope of the resurrection. And I want to be your friend, too! Give me Abraham-like faith!”

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Be Blessable

Praying for the Sweet Spot

You’ve got to love the sweet spot of God’s will! Some days are like that: we are in the blessing zone of God’s favor, and everything simply falls into place, with one minor miracle after another, making for one big miraculous day. But other days, not so much: we simply walk by faith and in obedience, not seeing evidence of God’s activity, going without knowing, trusting in the goodness of a God who “does all things well.” Our hope is that this day will include the sweet spot of God’s will, but that is not our call. Our singular duty today is to put one footstep of faith in front of the other, and leave the “when,” “where” and “how” of blessing up to God.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 24: 7,12, 27, 50

Abraham said to his servant, “the Lord…will send his angel before you…” Abraham’s servant prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and show kindness to my Master…” After Abraham’s servant [had met Rebekah] he bowed down and worshipped the Lord, saying, “the Lord has led me…” [Rebekah’s father and grandfather] Laban and Bethuel answered [Abraham’s servant, upon his request to take Rebekah back to Canaan to be Isaac’s wife], “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other.”

Ya gotta love the sweet spot of God’s will!

Some days are like that: we’re in the blessing zone of God’s favor, and everything simply falls into place. The other shoe never drops, but rather, it’s minor miracle after minor miracle, making for one big miraculous day.

We all long for days like that, and sometimes, we get them. At other times, we must simply walk in faith and obedience—we go without knowing, yet trusting in the goodness of a God who “does all things well,” in faith that we are being guided by the good hand of a loving Heavenly Father.

In reality, Abraham’s servant had to go without knowing—he journeyed hundreds of dangerous miles, not really knowing much of anything about Abraham’s relatives. He faced the very real possibility that Laban would reject his request. There was a great deal of trust and obedience in his journey of faith. And God went before him, giving him everything he had prayed for.

From our perspective on this side of history, it was just one of those great days for Abraham’s servant—he was in the zone, the sweet spot of God’s will. But from the servant’s perspective, it was one footstep of faith in front of the other until he hit “pay-dirt”.

Our hope is that this day will include the sweet spot of God’s will, that the steps we take will lead us to pay-dirt! But that is not our call. Whether we experience one sweet victory after another today, or it is a battle from the word go, our singular duty is to put one footstep of faith at a time in front of the other, and leave the “when,” “where” and “how” of blessing up to God.

Father, I will trust and obey you today no matter what. I will put one footstep of faith in front of the other footstep of faith. I pray that you would strengthen me to please you this day in that regard. But I also pray that I would have a day like Abraham’s servant, where you would go before me and show kindness and success today. I pray that you will lead me and at the end of the day, those who may be observing my life would just have to say, ‘God was with him.’ Father, bless me today with the sweet spot of your favor! I ask humbly in Jesus Name.

Going Deeper: Before you head out into your day, take a moment to thank God that he is already out there in front of you, calling you into where he already is. Now that should inspire confidence, no matter what this day holds.

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Memory: The Bittersweet Gift

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

It has been said that when you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. So live your life that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. You have the opportunity to live today in such a way that how you want to be remembered at the time of your passing will be true then.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 23:1-2

When Sarah was 127 years old, she died at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept for her.

An insightful person has profoundly written of death, “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. So live your life that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” Sarah was 127 years old when she passed from this life to the next, and even after decades of journeying through this life as her husband, Abraham was still stung by grief. He must have expected that day, he must have, in some way, prepared his mind for her passing, yet he was still heart broken with grief from the loss of his soul-mate. She had lived in such a way that her world mourned her passing.

The great preacher Ray Stedman said of Abraham’s weeping over Sarah,

The well of grief is fed by the springs of memory. All the dear, sweet days came crowding in upon [him] here. I think he saw in his mind’s eye that beautiful girl who captured his heart long, long ago. I think it was in the spring, for even back in those days in the spring a young man’s fancy turned to what the young women had been thinking about all winter! ‘Boy meets girl’ was the same wonderful story back in the days of Abraham some 4,000 years ago as it is today. As the old man wept over the body of Sarah, he must have remembered all those wonderful times. Memories passed through his fingers like pearls on a string. He remembered the sunlight glittering in her hair when he first saw her, the radiance of her face on her wedding day, the softness of her touch, and the grace of her caress. Each remembrance brought a heartache in the darkness of his grief at this hour. He recalled the high adventure of their life together, and especially that supreme, compelling call from God that sent them out as a couple together into an unknown land. He remembered how Sarah went along with him, sharing hardships, accepting the unsettled life without a murmur or complaint. How his heart must have been wrung with anguish as he remembered anew the perfidy he showed in Egypt when he exposed her to danger and dishonor with his lie before Pharaoh, and again years later before Abimelech! All the bittersweet memories came in upon him as he recalled their long, weary years without a child and how they wept together. He remembered how Sarah cried bitter tears over that barren womb and how in her desperation to give him a son, she offered her handmaid, even at the cost of her pride, and Ishmael was born. All of this must have filled Abraham’s heart and mind as he wept here before Sarah. He remembered, too, how at long last, glory shone in her face when her own son, Isaac, lay in her arms. His memory ran back through the years and retraced the love that drew them together, through the bad times and through the good, till they were one in body, mind, and heart. Now death has torn her from his arms though it could never tear her from his heart.

It would be easy to pass over these two verses and quickly move on in the story of God to the patriarchs to come—Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. But pause for a moment in this story and let this touch your soul. Abraham loved Sarah. In an age where marriage is treated as but one of many options, where divorce is no big deal, where committed, faithful, exclusive love is barely recognizable—perhaps even mocked or maybe viewed as an ideal from an era gone by—that this man had loved his wife this much touches the readers’ heartstrings.

And now that Sarah was gone, the bittersweet gift of memories held him at the place of death until it was time for him to square his shoulders and move forward into the story that God had written for Abraham’s seed. Yet thank God for those memories. And thank God for the pain of loss, for it meant that this couple had found and built with one another a love so great that death could not rip it from the heart of the surviving spouse. When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure—and nothing could take Abraham’s treasure from him.

Yet Genesis 23:3 tells us that Abraham moved on from there: “Then Abraham rose from before his dead.” Life must go on. The living must live. And while in that moment it would be difficult for Abraham to take the next step, to look beyond the sorrow of today to see to possibility of tomorrow, the treasure of Sarah’s memory made the journey sweeter.

Why did the Scripture include this detail of Abraham’s grief? Why would the Lord have us pause at the graveside of this man to peer into his grief, albeit for a moment? The answer is simple: this is life. And one day, we, too, will stand in grief at the place of the dead. We, too, will feel as if the road has ended, that we have not strength to move on. But we, too, will rise up, for life will call us forward. But we must remember that while the dearly departed loved one is gone, they are not forgotten. Love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. (Rossiter Worthington Raymond)

Memories—God’s photo album for the human heart. The opportunity you have today is to make those memories with the ones you love. Today is the day you have to so live your life that when you die, the world will cry but you will rejoice. Make sure to take some good photographs today!

Going Deeper: Before you do anything else today, pause to think about how you want others to remember you at your passing. Now so live today as to assure that will be true then.

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A Tested Faith — A Trusted Faith

Trust What Is Trustworthy

Authentic faith doesn’t demand an explanation; it rests on expectation—the conviction that God is always true to his character and to his promise. When our faith is tested, it is always to prove this very truth: God is trustworthy and true to his word.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 22:1

“Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith.”

The brilliant Thomas Aquinas wrote, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” Authentic faith doesn’t demand an explanation; it rests on expectation—the conviction that God is always true to his character and to his promise.

But what in the world do you do with this story as God asks Abraham to slay his son as a sign of his obedience? Why did God test Abraham with such a severe trial, and if he did that to him, will he do that to me? Here’s what we need to understand about this and all tests that come from God’s hand:

First, God’s tests are never without preparation. Notice the very first line: “Some time later God tested…” With God, time always comes before testing. This test came only after the events of Abraham’s life that we’ve been reading about since Genesis 12. God didn’t suddenly spring this extreme test on Abraham—and he’ll never spring one on you. One of the unchanging truths about God is that he’ll not give you a test that you cannot pass.

Second, God’s tests are never without purpose. In Genesis 22:12, the Lord stops Abraham from slaying Isaac, and says, “Now I know that you fear God.” The word “test” is used eight times in the Old Testament when God does the testing, and each time it’s used in this sense of “to prove.” God’s testing is not to expose, but to improve. When God says, “now I know”, it’s not for God’s benefit; it’s to give Abraham confidence that his faith is not misplaced. Abraham’s faith was tried; God’s faithfulness was verified—both were proven trustworthy in Abraham’s mind. Our faith is not really proven until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible.

Third, God’s tests are never without provision. Genesis 22:14 says, “So Abraham called the place ‘The LORD will provide.’” The emphasis here is not on the provision, but “the Lord” who provides. And the most important provision in this test—and in every test—is a prophetic revelation. The physical provision, whether a ram, a physical healing, or a million dollars for a ministry vision is secondary to a deeper revelation of the One who provides it! God tests your faith in order to prophetically reveal himself. And this test revealed to Abraham that in the journey of faith, God would always be present, and God would always provide. The Lord provides—always—for Abraham, and for you, too!

Now remember, God had promised Abraham a son, and not just one, but descendants as numerous as the stars. And not just increase, but the promise was for impact—that the whole world would be blessed through Abraham’s seed. Naturally, he wanted to know how that could happen when all he had was Isaac, and he, himself was advancing well into old age. So God shows him here in chapter 22 in this test with a sneak peek at the universal blessing to come in the ultimate sacrifice of the ultimate seed in Abraham’s line: Jesus.

This command to offer his only son prefigures God offering his only Son as a sacrifice for the world. Let me explain: In John 8:56-57, the Jews question Jesus’ authority by arrogantly claiming to be Abraham’s rightful heirs. So Jesus says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews respond, “You’re not yet fifty years old, and you’ve seen Abraham?”

Now that’s not a question—it’s a rejection of Jesus’ crazy claim that Abraham had literally witnessed the events of his life, death and resurrection. Now if that’s true—that Abraham rejoiced when he saw Christ’s sacrifice, where’s it recorded in the Old Testament? Right here in Genesis 22—when God steps in to spare Isaac by providing a substitute.

This is irrefutable evidence that something bigger than just the sacrifice of Abraham’s only son was going on here: For a specific reason, God sent him three days to this area. God told him that the sacrifice was to take place on a mountain in the region of Moriah. It’s the very site where Jerusalem will be situated. It’s the very mount where Jesus will be sacrificed. (Calvary) Did God randomly choose a three-day journey to death on Mount Calvary? Of course not! Genesis 22:14 prophetically declares, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” This was an Old Testament shadow of the New Testament reality to come.

Furthermore, notice Abraham’s prophetic response in Genesis 22:8 as Isaac points out there’s no animal for the sacrifice: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” The King James Version chose to translate that as: “Son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” Perhaps I’m taking liberty with the text, but by what Jesus said in John 8, I think that’s a prophetically accurate rendering: God will provide himself as the lamb. Which he did—literally, for Abraham; literally, for the whole world. As John 1:29 says, he provided himself as, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is stunning beyond belief, a revelation that only came through testing.

Martin Luther read this account for family devotions, and his wife, Kate, objected, “Martin, I don’t believe this. God wouldn’t treat his son like that!” Luther said, “But, Katie, he did!”

God tested Abraham’s faith, substituting the Lamb, to prophetically reveal himself as the God who provides. When he puts you through a test, that is what he will graciously do for you, too!

Going Deeper: Are you in a test? Look for a revelation of God himself, as he meets you in your test as the God who provides.