Today’s Key Scripture  

“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’”

— Genesis 22:13-14

Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14), occurring only once in the Old Testament, has two meanings in Hebrew: “The Lord my Provider” and “my Vision, or the One I see.”

In the ultimate act of obedience, after waiting 25 years for the promise of an heir to come true, then seeing Isaac beginning to grow toward manhood, Abraham was tested sorely as he was told to take his son to Mount Moriah to be sacrificed.

According to Genesis 22, when Abraham approached the place where he was to build an altar, Isaac asked about the offering. Abraham told his son that God would provide a burnt offering. After binding his beloved son to the altar and stretching his hand to slay Isaac, the angel of the Lord stopped him. Then Abraham was shown a ram caught in a nearby thicket, the sacrifice God had provided for Isaac.

And at that moment God prophetically revealed His own Son’s death on the cross. How do we know? The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56).

Prayer, intimacy, fellowship, and trust mean more than listening and speaking. Many times it requires faith, extraordinary faith, for God’s promises to come true.

 

A Prayer for Today

Precious Father, You are the only master of life. You alone know what is best for me. So I stand before You today to ask for patience and understanding. Teach me to have faith when I am impatient. I know You have a plan for me, so I ask You to help me endure to the end so I am able to reap the harvests You already have planned for me. I pray for Your divine intervention in every area of my life. You are Jehovah Jireh. You are my Provider. I rejoice in Your holiness and provision. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

 

*All Scripture references are NKJV unless otherwise noted.