Thankful that 'God Always Has a Ram in the Bushes!

Perhaps you have been reading through God’s Word with me and many others in the “Today’s Light Bible.” My wife, Kathy, is joining the group in reading and listening to God’s love, listening to His call, and to His direction for our lives. On Saturday, after she did her reading, Kathy came to me and said, “That’s what I heard in the Hospice Resale Shop. One elderly lady told another, ‘God ALWAYS has a ram in the bushes!’”

The reading for Saturday, January 13 was from Genesis 22, the confounding story of God calling Abraham to be willing to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, for whom Abraham and Sarah had waited so long. If anything, this chapter raises a lot of questions about our Lord Himself. Many wonder, seemingly with good reason, why God would ask such a thing of Abraham. In other parts of Scripture the Lord Himself forbids murder, and forbids human sacrifice as abominable. In all honesty, we should not be surprised when confronted with the mystery of God. Our Lord’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

But, there are some lessons we can learn from this reading, lessons to which God Himself points. First, the Lord ultimately prevented Abraham from the sacrifice. Look at verse 12, “He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’" (Gen. 22:12 ESV) This was a test where, God not only learned the heart of Abraham, but Abraham also discovered his priorities. Abraham grew in understanding the real object of worship - God Himself.

However, there is another very important lesson about our Lord which this account teaches, something we all need to learn. Abraham reveals that lesson in the name which he gives to the place. “13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’ (Gen. 22:13-14) Here is what we need to learn: when we face life’s trials, troubles bigger than we are, The Lord PROVIDES!

What challenges do you face today which are beyond your ability to overcome? All I have to do to personally find such challenges is go to my daily prayer list. I have entries on that list under different categories. I pray for people with “life trouble,” for those with “chronic” illnesses or conditions. I go to the Lord on behalf of family and friends and church members who are afflicted with “cancer,” and for those who are severely “ill.” I also pray that our Lord will provide “faith” to those who are doubting, and that he will provide comfort to those in “grief.” In addition, I pray for our “country” and our leaders, and for the nations of the world, that they would work for “justice and righteousness.” I pray by name for those whom I know are in the “military”, and I pray for “myself” and my own life and faith. I pray for our Lord’s “Church,” that the Christian Church would boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus. I ask God to guide and bless “St. John Lutheran Church” in Alaska, and also “First Lutheran Church” in Florida. I pray for “families” in stress, and for members of “my own family,” by name and by need. It is also important that I GIVE “THANKS” for all the ways our Heavenly Father has answered these prayers for situations beyond our ability and beyond our strength and comprehension. I thank Him for His responses of power and wisdom, of grace and love. I have learned that when facing impossible situations, like Abraham faced, our Lord does provide. He does have a ram in the bushes! I do not know how God will answer, whether in this life, or eternally. But, time and again I have seen our Heavenly Father answer and provide.

However, do you also see in Genesis 22 the other, even bigger way in which God provides? In Genesis 22:9 we read about Abraham’s faith, “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’"(Gen. 22:8) Not only does God provide for Himself, God provides . . . HIMSELF.

The ultimate cause of the pain and suffering and problems in this world is our sin, our selfishness, our rebellion, our pride, and all the ways we turn from our Loving Creator and Lord. Yet surprisingly, God provides Himself. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The Lord prevented Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac. But God did give His only Son, Jesus, in love for people who are overwhelmed by the trouble, the death, and the judgment brought on by our sin. Our sin causes the suffering and death we face, but Jesus overcame our sin when He died on the cross to pay for our rebellion. Jesus overcame judgment and death when He rose from the dead. Jesus is “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Truly, JESUS is God’s ram in the bushes for us!

I don’t know what problems those two ladies in the Hospice Resale Store were discussing, but the woman who spoke and answered had it right. No matter what we face, God has a ram in the bushes. We don’t always know how He will act for in this life, but He provides. And, we know that eternally God has acted in love through His Son, Jesus.

What are you facing right now? Do you see God’s ram yet?