“Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided.” Genesis 22:14

Its often difficult to be patient when you are in a time of waiting or transition. Its easier to worry and fret when you can’t see the road ahead. Maybe you’re in need of direction, financial provision, or healing. Maybe you’ve been there for a really long time and its starting to feel like God is asking you to sacrifice your promise. He gave you a promise and you’ve been waiting to see it come to pass. Maybe it already did but now it seems like God is asking you to give it back, or even give it to someone else.

Abraham waited so long for a son. He and Sarah were well beyond child bearing years. Why did they have to wait until they were in their late 90s for God to fulfill the promise He gave them? But Abraham trusted God and his faithfulness was credited to him as righteousness. So why now was he asking Abraham to give the promise back? Why did he need Isaac’s life?

Abraham took Isaac to the mountain and when Isaac asked where was the animal for the sacrifice, Abraham just replied that God would provide. The Bible doesn’t say this but I imagine, as a parent, I would be scouring the hillside-searching for the provision-my spirit begging for a lamb to save my son. All the way to the top of the mountain, I imagine Abraham with tears in his eyes arranging the wood for the sacrifice. Still searching his surroundings, pleading in his heart for another way, as a he tied his son’s hands and feet.

God did provide. He sent a ram in the thicket to take Isaac’s place. Abraham was faithful, not just to the point of his own death, but to the point of sacrificing his son for God’s will.

When I read this story, I wonder, why God waited so long? He knew Abraham would be faithful. He knew how it would end. Why did he have to wait until the knife was in the air? So many people say that this was a test for God to see if Abraham would be faithful but God already knew what would happen.

What if it wasn’t God who needed to see what would happen, but Abraham? What if God needed Abraham to see His provision in that darkest moment and to see that the God who promised Isaac to him would be faithful. God does not break His promises or ask for them to be returned. What He says He will do without fail.

God has given me a promise and it seems to be taking so long (too long) to arrive but I know that my God never fails. I know that His provision is enough and that He will provide everyday. Each day I am one day closer to seeing the fulfillment of my promise.

Have you been waiting a long time? Is your heart breaking waiting for a promise that seems to be as far away now as it has ever been? Let me (and Abraham) remind you what the word says about waiting on God. “On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided.” Not only is your promise on its way, the Promise Keeper is providing for you every day while you wait and His provision is sufficient for today. Keep holding on to your promise. There’s a ram waiting for you at the top of this mountain.

“Be still and know that I am God!” I will be honored in every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalms 46:10

Busy is the understatement of our lives these days. I remember when the COVID shut-down happened and there were comments about how it was nice to be forced to slow down but soon it became stressful and difficult to sit still. In general, I don’t think we are very good at it.

I have always loved this verse. It sounds so calm and peaceful but usually I only see the first line of it on coffee cups and t-shirts. Have you ever read the whole chapter? When I read Psalms 46 this morning, I could feel all the chaos and stress that I’ve been battling in my life lately. The chapter starts with a reminder that God is our refuge and strength. But I want calm! I want God to make it quiet around me so I can clear my head and breath.

My ideal is that God will give me this quiet place to sit and drink my coffee while I thank Him for the peace, but that’s not what this chapter is talking about. It talks about God helping us not to be fearful while the earth literally shakes beneath our feet. “So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.”

But I don’t want crumbling mountains and roaring oceans! How am I supposed to just “be still” in the midst of all that? I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that thinks like this.

But here’s the thing…..He told us to be still. He didn’t say life would get still around His children. He told us to rest, be still, do not fear. We have to take the step to hand all of it over to Him. We have to make the conscious decision to breathe, rest, take captive our thoughts and bring them into submission to the will of God. God will be faithful to deliver the peace, the joy, the protection. He said “remember that I am God.” We cannot move the mountains, but we can place our hope in the One who will. We cannot cure the illness, but we can walk with the Great Physician. The storm may not cease around you, but you can invite Jesus on to the boat. Give it all to Jesus today and then be still and know that He is God and He is on your side.

The second part of this chapter talks about God’s protection of and allegiance to Jerusalem. Verse 5 says “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.”

Today leaders who oppose Israel have called for acts of violence toward Jews throughout the world but especially in Israel. So today, I commit to pray for the peace and safety of God’s people in Israel.

From the break of this day, He will protect you. Shalom (Peace).

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8

If you go back and read this whole chapter, it is referring to a time when people were out to get David.  There are some other amazing, encouraging verses in this chapter as well about remembering God’s faithfulness and declarations about trusting in God no matter what.  I encourage you to go back and read it when you have time.

I cannot relate fully to the beginning verses.  I personally have never had people pursuing me with the intent to kill me. (Thank you, Lord.)  But, I think we have all experienced a time when someone was talking about us who did not have our best interest, or even the truth, in mind.  Furthermore, I can say with absolute certainty that I have experienced hardships at times that felt unfair.  I have been in a place before where I found myself saying “I don’t deserve this.  I did what was right.”

For about two years now I have begun to feel that my life was starting to go backwards.  I am not saying that nothing good has happened at all or that I have not seen God’s hand moving on my behalf during that time but things have just been hard.  I am living now in one of those times when there have been a lot more tears than I am used to crying.

I am not in a season of life that I am loving on a daily basis.  I am divorced and I have 3 children with my ex-husband.  For 14 years I saw all of my kids most days with the exception of short visits with their dad after the divorce.  About 2 years ago, my kids started expressing an interest in seeing what it would be like to live at their dad’s house.  This is absolutely natural and something I had been asking God to prepare me for for years.  I knew a day would come when they would want to try living with him and an age would come when the custody agreement would allow them to.  I was not angry with them for their choice or for the love they have for their dad.  I taught them to love him.  But my heart was broken to know that I would not see them everyday anymore.  During the last two years they have all gone to live with dad for different periods of time.  My daughter tried it for one semester of school and decided to come home but my sons have both stayed.  

Through this experience, I am learning a new way to parent.  I am learning a lot about God and how He loves my babies.  I am also praying more and differently for my ex-husband than I ever have before.  And in this process there have been so many tears.  As I have grown closer to God through this I have learned something new about Him.  My tears are precious to Him.  

He does not think I am too emotional or overreacting.  Others may hear this story and say that this is not a hardship.  It’s just part of life after divorce and that I shouldn’t feel the way I do about it.  But what I have found as I have read through the Bible is that God does not shy away from tears and sorrow.   He sits with us in our sorrow and He treasures our tears.  

The tears mean that you are allowing yourself to feel and share those feelings.  Share them with God.  He wants to hear from you.  He is not afraid when you are mad or confused.  He is not worried about your questions.  Bring it all to Him, tears and all, because I have learned another thing too.  The tears are cleansing.  The burden will be lighter and the heartbreak a little easier to bear after we bring it all to Jesus and have a good cry with Him.  So go ahead and cry, girl.  Then get up and keep going.  I don’t know how long your season has lasted or much longer you have to go but I do know that you have a God who wants to be with you through it all; through the questions, the anger, the heartbreak, the tears and one day, in the joy.