Lectionary readings for Sunday 21st June 2020

• Gen 22:1-14
• Ps 13
• Rom 6:12-23
• Mt 10:40-42

Jehovah-Jireh – The God who Provides

A reflection on Gen 22:1-14 by Michelle

In the lead up to this week’s Old Testament reading, Abraham has been on a journey of faith with God, slowly learning to trust that God will always keep his promises. Abraham always believed God when He made a promise, but as time went by his faith sometimes wavered. He lied to the Egyptians about Sarah being his sister, rather than his wife, and he agreed to have a child with Hagar obviously thinking God needed a little help. But in the end, Abraham learnt that God can always be trusted to keep His promises.

Today’s reading shows God testing this faith. He asks Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, the child of the promise, the child through whom God said He would make Abraham the father of many nations (Gen 17:15-21). Abraham must have wondered how that promise could possibly be fulfilled if he did what God was asking. But, Abraham trusted God would provide. When Isaac asks where the lamb is for the sacrifice, Abraham answers “God himself will provide the lamb” (v8). We also read in v5 that he told the servants “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Abraham’s use of the word “we” indicates he believed Isaac would come back down that mountain with him. Hebrews 11:19 tells us that “Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead”.

We know from the reading that ultimately God did not allow Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. God provided a ram to offer instead, resulting in Abraham naming that place Jehovah-Jireh, “The Lord Will Provide”. In a similar way, God has continued to provide for his people throughout history. In the Exodus, He provided a way for the first-born children of the Israelites to be saved through the blood of a lamb. And ultimately, God provided the one perfect, faultless lamb, His one and only son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for the sins of each and every one of us.

God has proven over and over again that we can trust Him to keep His promises. How will you respond when your faith is tested? Will you have faith in the promises of God? When tragedy strikes – you are faced with the loss of a loved one, a terminal illness, a failing marriage, a child who walks away from God, a financial crisis, the need to change jobs, a call to leave the security of your home or even your country – what will you do? Will you say I’m not strong enough, smart enough, young enough, pretty enough, tall enough, skinny enough, fit enough, talented enough, connected enough or some other type of enough? Or will you have faith in your Jehovah-Jireh?

In Matt 14:27-31, Jesus tells Peter to climb out of a boat and walk towards Him on the water. Peter steps out in faith and as he follows Jesus’ call, he walks towards Him on the water. However, when his focus shifts from Jesus to the wind swirling around him, Peter becomes afraid and starts to sink. Jesus reaches out His hand to catch Peter and says, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

In Jesus, God has provided us with everything we need. Growing in faith involves walking towards Jesus, always keeping our focus on Him. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will always be enough to get through any challenge we are faced with. Whatever we lack, in Jesus, God provides.

What Faith Can Do by Kutless