Scripture
Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh which means “the Lord will provide.”

Observation
The Lord tells Abraham to go to a mountain to sacrifice Isaac. It seems that Abraham has no hesitation in obeying the Lord, but it must have been very distressing. Not only is this his son, his only son born when Abraham and Sarah were old, this was the promised son, the one who carried the hopes for future blessing.

As they are travelling Isaac asks Abraham where the sacrifice is coming from. Abraham replies that the Lord will provide.

So Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac, but at the moment when the knife is poised, the angel of the Lord calls out to him. Abraham has passed the test, even being prepared to offer his only son to the Lord. A ram is seen in a thicket and with great relief Abraham sacrifices this to the Lord instead.

Application
Everything we have has to be surrendered to the Lord- our children, our work, our ministry. This applies even to the promises of God. Abraham had been promised a son in his olod age who would carry forward all the promised the Lord had made to Abraham. Abraham laid all that on the altar.

Everything we own or desire to be, even what we desire to do for God, has to be surrendered back to God for Him to do what He wants.

Prayer
Lord help me to give everything back to your hands. I know that when I surrender all to you, you give back 100 fold. So help me not to cling too tightly to my dreams. Amen.