“On the mountain of God, He sees to it.” (22:14)
The last night before Nichalas and Amber headed back for Phoenix. It was after midnight. My eyes nor my heart really weren't focused on the game in front of me, but on those who sat around the table. Parts of my heart kept my attention. I smiled as I watched them interact with one another. Their laughter, their smiles, their looks of concentration.
Thankful we were having a slumber party this last night with our little family of eight. Thankful for the memories being made, the giggles, the sounds of pint-sized feet scampering about. Blessed that each one I so, so love enjoys being with each other.
I particularly enjoyed watching Adam and Nichalas, these two brothers who became instant best friends with the birth of Nichalas. Each time I think about their being separated for the next year, my eyes threaten to overflow with the tears laying in wait.
Days of being together, our taste of Heaven Our mountain of God. And as we journey onward, we will go through the valleys, separated from each other by the many, many miles.
Mountain of God.
To get to there, we have to go through the valley - or a flood.
Until we die - the journey continues - down through the valleys to the next mountain top. Noah waited in the ark for 375 days before the next journey to a valley. Abraham - a lifetime.
I can only imagine what was going through his mind. How at times he probably wished that his faith wasn't so great. How at times he wanted to take his Isaac and run back to the valley from which they had come. To run away from God whom he had chosen to obey - no matter the cost.
He had left his comfort zone, sent away his other son, and now was told to use his remaining son as a sacrifice - all commands from the God he loved. Looking back over his lifetime of memories as they climbed the mountain - he had to think how does this make sense.
Only God knows the whole paradigm. We can't - so there will be many, many times in our journey of life that situations do not make sense. At all.
What does make sense is that our ABBA desires for us to give up everything to Him. He wants to be our most loved, most cherished, most everything - our "I AM". Because that is what is best for us. Because that's how much He loves us. Not every mountaintop experience is joyful, but the view enables us to see more than when in a valley. It brings us closer to Him when we climb upward. We have to lift our eyes up as we climb. I am reminded of Lot's wife looking back and turning into a pillar of salt. I wonder what prevented Abraham from turning back too. Was it the knowing if he did it would turn his life to salt only instead of a life full of seasonings. That it would be a life that lead to separation from God. I don't know. What I do know is he did exactly as commanded. Even to the point of raising his knife to kill Isaac.
That. is. faith.
That is putting God first.
This passage of scripture is one of my most favorite because it shows me how God desires for us to sacrifice "our Isaac" to Him. That "our Isaac" is coming between Him and us - even if it is a "good Isaac". The times when life is overwhelming - "God sees to it!" Just as He supplied the ram for Abraham - He "sees to it" for each one of us. Nothing is too big for Him or out of His control. I also love how this account between God and Abraham holds me accountable.
Mountain of God.
To get to there, we have to go through the valley - or a flood.
Until we die - the journey continues - down through the valleys to the next mountain top. Noah waited in the ark for 375 days before the next journey to a valley. Abraham - a lifetime.
I can only imagine what was going through his mind. How at times he probably wished that his faith wasn't so great. How at times he wanted to take his Isaac and run back to the valley from which they had come. To run away from God whom he had chosen to obey - no matter the cost.
He had left his comfort zone, sent away his other son, and now was told to use his remaining son as a sacrifice - all commands from the God he loved. Looking back over his lifetime of memories as they climbed the mountain - he had to think how does this make sense.
Only God knows the whole paradigm. We can't - so there will be many, many times in our journey of life that situations do not make sense. At all.
What does make sense is that our ABBA desires for us to give up everything to Him. He wants to be our most loved, most cherished, most everything - our "I AM". Because that is what is best for us. Because that's how much He loves us. Not every mountaintop experience is joyful, but the view enables us to see more than when in a valley. It brings us closer to Him when we climb upward. We have to lift our eyes up as we climb. I am reminded of Lot's wife looking back and turning into a pillar of salt. I wonder what prevented Abraham from turning back too. Was it the knowing if he did it would turn his life to salt only instead of a life full of seasonings. That it would be a life that lead to separation from God. I don't know. What I do know is he did exactly as commanded. Even to the point of raising his knife to kill Isaac.
That. is. faith.
That is putting God first.
This passage of scripture is one of my most favorite because it shows me how God desires for us to sacrifice "our Isaac" to Him. That "our Isaac" is coming between Him and us - even if it is a "good Isaac". The times when life is overwhelming - "God sees to it!" Just as He supplied the ram for Abraham - He "sees to it" for each one of us. Nothing is too big for Him or out of His control. I also love how this account between God and Abraham holds me accountable.
I recognized many years ago, Adam and Nichalas were my Isaac's and I needed to "sacrifice" them to Him. Putting Him first. There are times when I still struggle with loving them more than I love our ABBA and what a burden this puts on them.
Unless we sacrifice our "Isaac's" to Him, they will always come between the relationship we share with our ABBA.
Constantly we need to take action, leaving our Isaac's at the foot of The Cross, on the mountain of God.
Constantly we need to take action, leaving our Isaac's at the foot of The Cross, on the mountain of God.
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