I am a Promise

" Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about."      Genesis 22: 2-3

Obedience  Imagine the scene.  Three men, a boy and a donkey loaded down with wood trudging through the unrelenting heat.  Dust billows through the air as they march along on a mission.  The older man stops, squinting into the sun, straining to see his destination. 

"Isaac, water the donkey please. . .I'll makes sure my men get a drink of water.  We should almost be there, it's been three days since we left home."

"Where, Father?  You haven't told me where we're going."

"Don't worry, my son.  Our Father in heaven has sent us on a mission.  It will soon be made clear."

Promise Keeper  What was going on in Abraham's mind as he walked? Did he doubt?  Did he mourn for his only son?  Did he ask God, "Why?"  He had plenty of time to turn back, but the extraordinary thing about Abraham is that he received the command from God and immediately obeyed.  The next morning.  Abraham knew God was a promise keeper.  He had experienced that time and time again.  He knew now would be no different!  Isaac was the vessel by which God's promise of blessing to all nations would be fulfilled.  Abraham was able to obey instantly, without consulting his advisors, his wife, or any man, because Abraham kept his focus on the Promise Keeper.

The Love of God   We also have received many promises from the Promise Keeper.  One, recorded in Romans 8:38-39, is that nothing can separate us from God's love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   When life gets hard and it seems all is lost, keeping my eyes upon the One who will keep this promise is the key to conquering my own fears and doubts.  Its easy to wonder where I went wrong when life is hard. It's easy to think God has left me and that He doesn't love me any more.  But God is not in the business of making me happy and comfortable.  He is all about furthering His purpose and molding me into the woman He created me to be in Christ Jesus.  Sometimes, His loving hand feels hard upon me. 

More than Conquerors   This same passage of Romans reminds us that, although it seems the whole world is out to get us, we have hope.  "If God is for us, who can be against us?"  He is bigger than all our problems, and since we belong to Him, He will take care of us.  We can boldly obey God as Abraham did if we will only keep our eyes on Him.

I am a Promise  The Gaithers had a children's song* back in the '70s that spoke to a promise. As a child of God, I find the message te be encouraging. 

I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be.

I can go anywhere that He wants me to go
I can be anything He wants me to be
I can climb the high mountains
I can cross the wide sea
I'm a great big promise you see!

As I begin this day, my prayer is that I will keep my eyes upon the Promise Keeper, especially when things don't go the way I planned.

Where am I putting off God's calling in my life?

What am I afraid to do that God has called me to do?

* Lyrics from http://www.biblestudycharts.com/CH_I_Am_A_Promise.html