Inspired at a Basketball Game

John 8:56 – Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

The other evening I attended a basketball game for the son of a friend of mine. She began telling me how she was blessed with the sermon that she had heard on the previous Sunday on faith. The Scripture lesson was from Genesis 22 “God tests Abraham”.

The strategy for winning is found in our Worship!

So, as she talked, I listened. Then I shared with her the portion of this passage that spoke to me about faith, that although Abraham was told to take his son and offer him as a burnt offering unto the Lord, Abraham instructed his servants “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there.  We will WORSHIP and then we will come back to you.” (Gen. 22:5)

We are told in this story that Abraham and Isaac gathered what they needed and they went both of them together. The altar is constructed and Isaac is bound and placed on the altar. Abraham then takes his knife and stretches forth his hand to slay his son. The angel of the Lord called out of heaven and said “Abraham lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do any thing to him for now I know that you fear God, seeing that you did not withhold your son, your only son from me. Abraham lifted his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.”

Here it is: Although the conversation surrounded the passages in Genesis 22, I was led to John 8:56, which now has new meaning to me.

Abraham was released from having to sacrifice his son, he indeed rejoiced when he looked in the thicket and saw the ram – a shadow of what was to come…the Lamb of God. It began with faith which led to worship, and that with worship, there is release and with release there is rejoicing!

Worship Him, no matter the situation….after Abraham worshipped and he and Isaac began to walk up one side of the mountain, the blessing was already on its way up the other side of the mountain.

He did it for Abraham and He’ll do it for you.