The Road to Moriah: The Lord Provides
Our Lenten Journey has taken us all the way to Moriah, the mountain, or the mountainous region where God directs Abraham to take his son and sacrifice him there. Along the way, Isaac asks the question of his father, ‘where is the lamb for the offering?’ Abraham says, “The Lord will Provide.” After arriving at Moriah and setting up the sacrifice, including placing Isaac on the makeshift altar and preparing to sacrifice him, God steps in and prevents Abraham from completing it and then he provides a ram caught in a thicket for the sacrifice. In response, Abraham calls that place, ‘the place where God provides.’
When you look back on your life, where have you seen God’s provision? Where are those places where you worried whether you would have enough or any and yet, by God’s miraculous deliverance, you had plenty and felt foolish for your worry? Our God is a God who provides.
Many, many times in Scripture God promises that he will provide for his people. When the Children of Israel are made to wander in the wilderness for their sin, before entering the promised land, God provided manna, clothing, and water…even from a rock! On of our favorite Psalms, Psalm 23 reminds us in verse one, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” What an incredible comfort!
In the New Testament, two examples of God’s promise to provide are found first in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” NIV
Also, Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” NIV
God does provide for us. It is that provision that we are about to celebrate at Easter. Join us this Sunday as we remember God’s provision for us.
-Pastor Ken Harste