“Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket.
So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means ‘the Lord will provide’).”
Genesis 22:13-14
Abraham had a most difficult choice to make. Sacrificing Isaac would not only mean the loss of his beloved son, but the loss of all he had believed for the past 50 years. Everything for which he had lived could be destroyed in a moment.
Abraham did not know about the ram waiting at his altar. Whether that ram wandered onto the scene or was miraculously dropped into the bush, it was GOD who provided him to be Isaac’s substitute. However, Abraham did not see the ram until after he raised the knife.
God’s plans always include a ram, even when we don’t see it right away. I remember lying on the floor in Uganda after we had given up our most cherished dream. Through sobs I cried, “I feel like Abraham sacrificing his son, except this time there is no ram in the bushes!” For sure, God had provided a ram for that altar, one beyond my wildest dreams. But I did not see it until years later. During that difficult time, however, I learned a valuable lesson…when you feel like you’ve given up everything and see no ram at your altar, you can rest in the love of THE Lamb who knows about sacrifice, with no other ram to take His place!
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