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

Let’s continue our devotion about appreciation with recognizing how the LORD always provides.

Today’s scripture, Genesis 22:13-14 (NLT) shares…
[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…
Today’s scripture picks up when Abraham is just about to sacrifice Isaac, whom he loved the most. What’s interesting about this pivotal moment is the fact that Isaac is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, yet the LORD told him to give his beloved son up.

This let’s us know that God is sovereign and can give and take back as He chooses. Like Job testified to this in Job 1:21-22 (NLT), which reads…
[21] He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” [22] In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Job’s testimony and Abraham’s obedience makes me think of a song written by Richard “Mr. Clean” White. The lyrics say…

Verse 1
Accept what God allows,
you’re better off anyways,
face the facts and you will never stray.
Turn your faith a loose,
He’ll bring you out and give you all the proof;
so don’t question God, just accept what God allows.

Verse 2
We all go through life asking the question, why
why all these burdens, why when loved ones dies,
why do I have to worry, why do I have to cry;
when I know Jesus, He’s goona fix it all by and by.

Chorus
Accept what God allows,
even when you don’t understand accept every trail.
Accept even now, He’ll give you a smile,
put it in His hands, He has the master plan;
your trial is but a stepping stone,
it will lead you heavenly home.

Job and Abraham accepted what God allowed, and required. They teach us how God wants to see our unwavering faith revealed in the tests He allows, and obedience He requires.

So before we can appreciate Yahweh Yireh, we must submit our will to His! I believe that’s why Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10 (NLT)…
[10] May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Jesus’ words show us a hidden key to appreciating Yahweh Yireh is yielding to His Sovereignty and Will! I say that because, it’s after Jesus teaches us to yield, that He tells us to ask. Matthew 6:11-13 (NLT) continues…
[11] Give us today the food we need, [12] and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. [13] And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Notice, we’re encouraged to ask Yahweh Yireh to provide…

• Sustenance, with the food we need
• Salvation, with forgiveness of sins
• Sanctification, by keeping us from the evil one

This shows us that we should appreciate Yahweh Yireh because He…

• Sustains us
• Saves us
• Sanctifies us

Indeed, before the LORD ever tangibly provides, we should appreciate His nature and will, because He has already provided everything we need.

That reminds me of Darius Brooks’ lyrics…

I wish I could tell you just what I want,
And you give it to me just like that
The truth of the matter
What I want just might hurt me
And you won’t let me go out like that
You know my end before my beginning
Calculated blessings down to the penny
So I’ll cry ’til you tell me, ‘Let it go, let it be’
Oh, Lord Your will is what’s best for me.

Appreciate Yahweh Yireh by letting ‘it’, (whatever ‘it’ is in your life) go and letting the LORD’S will be done!

As mentioned earlier, today’s scripture picks up after Abraham’s unwavering faith, and obedient sacrifice. As I wrote that, the Holy Spirit just reminded me that Genesis 22:7-8 (NLT) said…
[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.

Notice, before Abraham named the place of the LORD’S deliverance Yahweh Yireh, he already believed the LORD would provide! This is a shining example of Hebrews 11:1-2 (ERV), which says…
[1] Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. [2] God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this.

As a matter of fact Hebrews 11:17-18 (ERV) expressly says…
[17-18] God tested Abraham’s faith. God told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed because he had faith. He already had the promises from God. And God had already said to him, “It is through Isaac that your descendants will come.” But Abraham was ready to offer his only son. He did this because he had faith.

Abraham showed us faith is going without knowing because the LORD tells you too, and believing He will provide everything you need!

Today, appreciate Yahweh Yireh because you already know and believe that when you go and do what He says, He always provides!

I like the way the hymn says it…

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

As I hear the faithfulness of Yahweh Yireh being testified to in song, I hear Eddie James sing another song that says…

As I look back over my life
I can see how Your love has guided me
Even though I’ve done wrong
You never left me alone
But You forgave me
And You kept on blessing

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope
It’s because of Your mercy that we are not consumed
Because Thy compassions fail not, they are new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness…

You’ve been
Lord, You’ve been so faithful
(Even though sometimes I didn’t do what You wanted me to do)
You’ve been
Lord, You’ve been so faithful

I can never repay You, Lord, for what You done for me
How You loosed my shackles and You set me free
How You made a way out of no way
Turned my darkness into day
You’ve been my joy in the time of sorrow
Hope for my tomorrow
Peace in the time of storm
Strength when I’m weak and worn

You see, I believe part of the reason Abraham and Job had unwavering faith in God is because they experienced His faithfulness before.

• The son God asked Abraham to sacrifice was the same one that was promised and given when Abraham was 100 years old
• All that God allowed Job to lose was provided by Him to begin with. That’s why Job could say, “the LORD giveth and the LORD taketh away. Praise the LORD!”

It occurs to me from Job and Abraham’s testimonies, that we must trust the LORD and let go of what He’s provided when He tells us to. That’s because He is testing our trust in Him before He’ll trust us with more from Him.

So today, appreciate Yahweh Yireh who has already provided everything, but may also ask you to let it go. Just know if God ask you to sacrifice what He’s promised, that it’s because He has more in store, namely increasing your faith and experiencing more of His faithfulness.

Regardless of past, present or future, Yahweh Yireh always provides!

Today’s Song is…
Jireh

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)