Genesis 22 is a famous incident in the life of Abraham. After so many years, finally he receives Isaac at 100. Then as a teenage boy, the Lord asks for him back. In that beautiful, unimaginable story, Abraham takes rope, wood, and a knife for the sacrifice, but Isaac, almost knowingly, asks, vv7-8 “Where is the Lamb?” And Abraham’s answer, “the Lord himself will provide… my son”

The same God who gave Isaac would give, he believed God would provide, revive, or reproduce.

You know the story, God stops him, knife raised… Do not lay a hand on the boy…

Then in v15 what got my attention today, Then the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) called to Abraham… because you have done this thing and have not withheld… I will indeed bless you.

The blessing of God is in the obedience of trust in action here. It is not about the “what” but the “that”. The Lord does not often ask the same act from each of us, but THAT we act, in faith/trust. Because you have not withheld. How often do we miss the blessing of God because we withhold the action of obedience? I imagine one day in heaven, we will know and hear all the opportunities we missed.

So, then I go to Hebrews, and that writer there tells us that we can trust God, just like the heroes of the faith did. You read Hebrews 11 – the Hall of Fame of the Faithful – and we aren’t perhaps called to do WHAT they did, but THAT, HOW, and WHY. The common denominator is that they did not withhold faith in action.

What can we be certain of? Hebrews 6:10 “God is not unjust (unrighteous) he will not forget (forget, neglect, overlook).”

PRAISE GOD – WHEW – I have to stop right here and like Paul often did in HIS writings, I think of Ephesians 3:20-21, he just stopped for a praise break – To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory…

That same God… is not unjust – he knows what you do for him, and he won’t leave you unpaid, unrewarded. He will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name. YES Servant of the Most High… Come On Saint… v11 he knows you demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end… 12 be imitators… who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance

God doesn’t ask us all to do the same thing, and yet he does, faithful diligence. Imitate that.

Hear him say that same thing to Abraham, and then written 2000 years later to the Hebrews and now we read it 2000 years later in 2025 – He himself swore by himself… I will indeed bless you

Child of God today – whatever God is calling you to do… do not withhold it.

If there is anything God is asking, do not hold back.

Say, “Yes!”. Step out in faith… the provision comes in the move into it.

Hebrews 6:14 I will indeed bless you – that word is eulogezo = bless, praise – God says, “Come and Follow, Act in Faith and I will Praise You – I will Bless you”

God Himself has said, “I will not forget you, neglect you, overlook you”… so come on saint, do it.

An Old Hymn by Frances Brook – My Goal is God Himself

1) My goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace

Nor even blessing, but himself, my God.

‘Tis his to lead me there, not mine, but his,

At any cost, dear Lord, at any road

2) So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,

And love can trust her Lord to lead her there

Upheld by him, my soul is following hard

‘Til God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer

3) No matter if the way be sometimes dark

No matter though the cost be oft-times great

He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark

the way that leads to him must need be straight

4) One thing I know, I cannot say him ‘nay‘

One thing I do, I press toward my Lord

My God, my glory here, from day to day

And in the glory there, my great reward