Unwavering Faith Amid Uncertainty
By: Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
“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.” - Genesis 22:2 NIV
Has the Lord called you to do something that, at the time, didn’t make sense or seemed a bit crazy?
Perhaps the Lord called you to change your job, but that would mean a significant pay decrease.
Or maybe He called to move to another state, but then you’d be leaving behind your strong Christian community.
Possibly, you sensed that the Lord called you to adopt a child, but physical space and financial resources are already scarce.
While you might not relate to the specific circumstances above, most of us have experienced a time when we felt God calling us to step out in faith and trust in His plan, purpose, and provision. Acting in faith is not always easy; in fact, most of the time it’s challenging to walk by faith, not by sight. Yet, God has longed for His children to trust Him from the beginning of creation. To even amid uncertainty, be faithful and obedient to whatever He’s called us to.
And while following God’s commands at times can be daunting, especially when they defy human logic, we can recall all the ways God has been faithful to give us strength and comfort. We see God’s provision on full display in Genesis 22:1-19, where the Lord calls Abraham to do the unimaginable. Yet, Abraham, without delay, obeyed.
Abraham, Isaac, and his servants set out on their journey, and after three days of travel, arrived at their destination. Abraham instructed his servants to stay behind, grabbed the fire and his knife, and told Isaac to carry the wood; they were going up the mountain alone. Isaac noticed that they were missing the central element of a sacrifice – an animal. Abraham tells him not to worry about it– “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8). Once they arrived, Abraham made the altar, bound up Isaac, placed him on top of the firewood, and raised his knife to kill his son ( Genesis 22:9-10).
But, graciously, the angel of the Lord calls out from Heaven, telling Abraham not to harm Isaac. Abraham then looks over and sees a ram in the bushes and sacrifices it to the Lord, naming the area “The Lord will Provide” (Genesis 22:13-14). Then the Lord promises Abraham three things. The first two are specific to Abraham; the Lord will bless him with offspring, making them as numerous as the stars in the sky, and give him victory over his enemies ( Genesis 22:15-17). But the last promise is good news for all of humanity. God tells Abraham, “and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” ( Genesis 22:18). Jesus, the savior of the world, God’s only son ( John 3:16), who He loves ( John 15:9), will come from the line of Abraham.
We see God’s unconditional love, grace, and mercy for His children through the blessing He bestows on Abraham and his descendants (that’s you and me!) Just as the ram was the substitute sacrifice for Isaac, Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God’s promise was fulfilled—a Savior for His people.
Knowing that God can be trusted gives us the strength to obey the Lord’s commands faithfully, even in times of uncertainty. Today, we benefit from Abraham’s obedience, a man who was called to do the unthinkable, yet said, “not my will but the will of the Father.” Because of Abraham’s willingness to say “yes” to whatever God called him to, the world experiences God’s blessings of grace and mercy through faith.
Like Abraham, God desires for His children to experience the blessings of a life that is wholly surrendered to the Lord. God is faithful to complete the works He calls us to (Philippians 1:6). Even when we don’t understand, we can have unwavering faith, trusting and obeying, because we serve a God who can be trusted to keep His promises.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Is there something that the Lord is calling you to, but will require you to step out in faith? Thinking about our passage today, and how Abraham’s obedience resulted in the Lord’s blessings on many nations, how does this truth encourage you to say “yes” to whatever the Lord is asking of you?
Further Reading:
Stepping Out in Faith When You Are Afraid
Hebrews 11
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Marinela Malcheva
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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