Sensitive Enough to Hear

As I was reading in Genesis 22, about Abraham taking the journey to sacrifice his only son in obedience to God, a few things began to speak to me through the passage.

3And 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.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

They started the journey with companions.  Whatever the reason for these two young men, they were with them for a while, and then Abraham and Isaac had to go further, leaving them behind.  Sometimes in the midst of our journey of life, possibly through a trial… we have friends (companions) along the way.  They might be there for a season.  They may help us through a difficult passage.  They may even be encouragers.  There comes a time… we need to move on to another place without them.  They may still be praying for us, or encouraging us, but we have got to find a place of our own with God.  Our whole life cannot be lived through others.  There will be alone times.  Lonely times.  Abraham went forward with his promise (Isaac) and His God! Sometimes, it is exactly what we need in order to see the provision of God in our lives.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

What trust Abraham had in His God.  He had a promise that he would father a great nation… how could that be if God took his only son of promise?  There is something about knowing God is in complete control.  Living with the knowledge is one thing, believing it every step of the way is another.  God is in control.   We only need to trust and obey… He does the rest.  He will provide…

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

This is where I want to be in the Lord.  Willing enough to obey, trusting enough to walk in faith… and sensitive enough to hear.  Abraham was obeying what God had told him.  Often we know God has given us a word, and we move forward in that… so forcefully that we miss when he redirects us.  Had Abraham not been sensitive enough to hear, he would have plunged ahead killing his promise… and let the world know God had told him to do it.  But, God changed directions in the middle of Abraham’s trial… and only by being in tune with the voice of God did  Abraham see the provision of God come through and his promise live!

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah Jireh!  Can you imagine his feelings as he saw the ram caught in the thicket?  Can you imagine the joy, wonder and thankfulness in his heart?  So many times, we only focus on the financial side of God being our provider… but it is so much more than that.  He is Jehovah Jireh.  Provides whatever is needed!  At the moment it is needed!  Right on time!

I pray that I can get to the place in God where… who is with me doesn’t matter, I have my promise and my God.

I pray that I can get to the place in God where… My obedience is not dependent upon my circumstances.  God is in complete control, I just need to obey and trust completely.

I pray that I can get to the place in God where… I am sensitive to his voice so that when he changes directions or wants to stop me in my tracks, that I hear him!