7 Pennies

So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” - Genesis 22:14

One day on a mountain God turned a frightening moment between a father and son into one of the greatest displays of obedience and provision recorded in Scripture.  As Abraham raised his knife, staring into the whites of Isaac's eyes, an angel of the Lord intervened, and God provided a ram.

Hours earlier Isaac and Abraham had walked the long, steep journey up the mountain.  Scripture records that Isaac was tasked with carrying the wood, and Abraham's hands were full of the fire and knife.  Can you imagine the intensity and stress of that hike?  Isaac, full of confusion as to what was going on, struggles to haul all the wood up the mountain.  Abraham, sweat running down his brow, privately pleads with God to halt this assignment.  On that path Abraham and Isaac embodied the totality of what it means to trust God to provide.

Jehovah Jireh (God Will Provide) is fun to name-drop in a prayer or song but incredibly difficult to live out on a steep, confusing path up a mountain.  God is not always quick to provide, but He is always faithful to provide.  Understanding the difference between quick and faithful is the key to walking out the steps of provision God lays out for us.

In the story of Abraham and Isaac a case can be made for 7 such steps.  Tonight, at Celebration Church & Outreach Ministry, we will highlight those steps identifying each one as a penny.  The third penny, based on Abraham and Isaac's hike up the mountain, is this:  God will never put on you more than you can carry.

At times it feels as though God has overestimated our strength - like He got our calculations confused with someone else's.  We cry out to God:  "I can't carry this! Maybe she can but I can't!"  And yet, a day, week, month passes, and we discover that God's calculations were right all along.

God does not give us a burden to carry for no reason at all.  It's always in alignment with a greater plan of provision that He is unfolding for us.  God is in the business of converting steps towards provision into a grand testimony of provision. We are carrying a burden now to proclaim a story of faithfulness later.  Someone Tomorrow will need to hear about Your Today - that's just how God works.  It's one way He redeems all things in our lives.

Come get 7 pennies tonight at The Big House, and hear about the other steps - 5501 Midlothian Turnpike at 6pm - or watch Live at ccomrva.org.

Ex nihilo,


R.J. Rhoden