Reality

One of my favorite passages in scripture is found in Genesis chapter 22 (Gen 22:1-14).  God instructs Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac, whom God himself had promised to Abraham, and offer him as a sacrifice.  Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult request to comprehend as a parent, and to be honest, I don't know what my response would be if God asked this of me.  But Abraham did not hesitate.  After God gives His instructions, verse 3 states, "So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac, his son." 

What always amazes me the most in this account, is the remarkable faith of Abraham.  He trusted God's plan and direction, even though he didn't have all the details.  He moved forward with what God required him to do, even though he didn't know why.  But my very favorite part is verse 5 when they have arrived at the base of the mountain: "Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."  We will worship and return to you.  Abraham did not know all the pieces of God's plan, and he did not know exactly how it was going to happen, but what he did know and trust was that he was returning with his son.  He knew that somehow God was going to provide a sacrifice, and spare his son.  Where exactly was this sacrifice going to come from up on the top of a mountain?  He didn't know, but he trusted explicitly in God's provision.  When Isaac realized they did not actually have an animal for the offering and asked his father about it, what was Abraham's response?  "Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."  Gen. 22:8

So they headed up the hill, prepared the wood for the burnt offering, bound up Isaac, and laid him on top of the wood.  Right at the very moment when he raised his hand to offer his own son, God stops him.  "But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."  He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."  Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son." Gen. 22:11-13.

At the very moment that Abraham needed God to provide, He did.  And I have no doubt that God will provide for us and our son as well.  There are so many things going on when you have a child in the hospital, and so many stresses and everyday things to try and keep up with.  And of course, we are concerned for our son's health and development.  Somehow, it seems like the last thing we should be thinking about during this time is our finances.  But, let's face it, hospital bills are a reality.  The need for extra food and gas is a reality.  But the fact that the Lord provides, is also a reality.  I have seen it over and over and over again in out short two and a half years of marriage.  Believe me, we have lived through some times when on paper, it was not possible to pay all the bills.  And yet, no bill has ever gone unpaid.  God always provides from somewhere, and usually, it is from the most unlikely places.  So why would this situation be any different?  Our son is 26 days old today, and my wallet has yet to be empty.  Our pantry and refrigerator are stocked full.  And my daughter is completely taken care of, having enough food, formula and diapers to last probably until the end of the year. 

There is still a long way to go on this journey, but we are trusting God's plan for our son, and that includes trusting in His provision.