SCRIPTURE: Genesis 22:1-8

1: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2: And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3: And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him…
8: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: GOD MAY TEST WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS TO US

The passage presents one of the most encouraging pictures of God’s care in difficult circumstances. Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away with bread and water. But when the water was exhausted, Hagar found herself in the wilderness with her son. She became overwhelmed, sat at a distance, and began to weep. It appeared that everything had come to an end. But God was already there. God heard the cry of the boy, called to Hagar, encouraged her, and opened her eyes to see a well of water.

The great lesson is this: Your wilderness may be dry, but God’s provision is not dry. The wilderness does not mean God has abandoned you, Hagar and Ishmael were in the wilderness, but God had not forgotten them.

Sometimes we associate difficult seasons with God’s absence. We ask, “Where is God in this situation?” But this passage shows us that God can be present even in the wilderness. The wilderness may represent financial difficulty, family challenges, uncertainty, disappointment, loneliness, ministry pressure or delayed expectations. You may feel that nobody understands what you are going through, but God knows. Your tears are not invisible to God. Your prayers are not wasted. Your cries have reached heaven. God sees you and hears you. God will provide for you. He will open your eyes to see His provision.

ASSIGNMENT
Surrender your Isaac to God and trust Him with the outcome.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, give me grace to trust You when my faith is being tested.