Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today, let’s develop trusting relationships.

In today’s scripture, Genesis 22:1-2, 6-14 (NLT), we read…
[1] Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” [2] “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
[6] So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, [7] Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” [8] “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. [9] When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. [10] And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. [11] At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” [12] “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” [13] 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. [14] Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Consider…
Imagine God giving you your heart’s desire and then asking you to give it back. In my mind I envision a little child being given their favorite toy or candy by their parent, and then told to give it back. I see the broken heart behind the sad eyes. Still, the child complies in obedience.

Today’s scripture makes me think of this exact scenario. The passage says that God said, “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

Talk about a gut punch. Yet, when I read Abraham’s response I am inspired how he simply obeyed without saying a word. Look at verse [6] which says…
So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife…

As I read this, the symbolism of Abraham and Isaac with God the Father and His only begotten Son, Jesus crystalizes even more. Notice…

• Abraham was asked to give his only son, just God the Father gave His only Son
• Abraham loved Isaac, just like God the Father loved His only begotten Son
• Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, just as God the Father sacrificed Jesus
• Isaac carried the wood for his sacrifice, Jesus carried His cross. It’s not a coincidence that Jesus tells us that we must carry our own cross to follow Him in (Matthew 16:24-25)

This shows me that Abraham’s story was to reveal God’s glory. You see what Abraham was willing to do foreshadowed what God the Father and Son did!

Given that understanding, let’s look further at trusting relationships in today’s scripture. We read…
As the two of them walked on together, [7] Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” [8] “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

Reading this just made me coin a phrase, the “hub of trust”, meaning everyone involved in Abraham’s story had to trust to see God’s glory. Let me explain…

• Abraham had to trust that God has a plan to obey Him and give Isaac back
• Isaac had to trust Abraham to go with Him into uncertainty

This shows us that to see God’s glory there has to be “hubs of trust” in our story.

Before continuing, let’s get a definition of trust. Accordingly, Oxford Languages firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

In fact, our salvation story is testament to the Triune God’s hub of trust…

• The Triune God relied on us to bear His image (Genesis 1:27)
• God the Father believed we worth saving (John 3:16)
• Jesus believed we worth dying for (John 10:17-18)
• The Holy Spirit thinks we’re worth helping (Romans 8:26-27)

I don’t know that we often think of the fact that part of why God has done all that He has for us is because He trusted we will respond accordingly. Think about it…

• God doesn’t send His Son if He doesn’t trust someone will believe in Him
• Jesus doesn’t die if He doesn’t trust someone will be saved by Him
• The Holy Spirit doesn’t help if He doesn’t trust someone will overcome with Him

God trusts us to trust Him. Accordingly, He did His part. Now like with Abraham, He’s asking us to do our part.

So today, I trust you will follow Abraham’s lead and trust God with your hopes and dreams, and lead others who trust you, to see God provide everything you need.

Today’s Song is…
I Trust You

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)