Worship and Declare

"Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, 'In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'" -Genesis 22.13-14

I read these words yesterday, and felt like there was something there. It's been a long day, and I've been thinking about them a lot. And I think what this says to a man is that a man worships with his children, and declares what God has and will do.

Abraham has been faithful and obedient to God, and God has showed Abraham that child sacrifice does not happen in His kingdom. And then, God provides the lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham takes the ram, and with his son Isaac, offers it as a burnt offering to the Lord. Together they praise God for what he has done.

I don't think this is the first time that Isaac had been part of a sacrifice. After all, he's probably in his twenties, and he's aware that they didn't have a lamb to offer. But he has gotten to take part in the sacrifice to God. He and his father worshiped together. Men, we must worship with our families. I don't remember the specific statistic, but if a dad sets the example of church worship to his children, they are much more likely to stay active in the church as they grow.

But it isn't enough simply to worship, there is more we see with Abraham here. He declares what God has done, by calling the place "The Lord Will Provide". He identifies the place by how he has seen God work there. Are there places like this in your life? Do you have places where you have encountered God and He has done something great? What do you call that place? Have you shared the place and experience with your children?

Men, let us worship God with our families, let us lead them in worship. Let us declare what God has done, and share that with our families. Let us celebrate the goodness of God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor