GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER

Genesis 22:5 Stay here with the donkey, Abraham told the servants.  “The boy and I will travel A LITTLE FARTHER.  We will worship there, then we will come right back. (NLT)

Early this morning, I had a dream.  I cannot remember all the details of the dream but the words, “GO A LITTLE FARTHER,” were dropped into my spirit. 

Genesis 22 relays the story of Abraham’s trek up the mountain, with his son Isaac, to offer sacrifice.  It wasn’t unusual for Abraham to offer sacrifice; he was a man of great faith and worshipped often.  But this time it was different, the sacrifice was to be his “only” son, the son of promise.

How heavy his heart must have felt. Every step became more laborious than the next because every step brought him closer to obeying God’s command.  His thoughts were going crazy…“God I can’t do this.” “Not my will but yours.” “What will I tell Isaac?”  “Nevertheless, I will trust in You.”

Then Isaac asks the question…

Genesis 22:7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am my son.”  Then he said, “Look the fire and the wood, but WHERE IS THE LAMB for a burnt offering?” (NKJV)

There it was, the hard question…Abraham could have stopped right there and said, “You’re right, let’s go hunting.” But no, his next statement is not only prophetic but it was at that point Abraham PASSED THE TEST; it was at that point he WENT ON A LITTLE FARTHER.

Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.(NKJV)

God has asked you to do some of the “hard things.”  You’ve said, “Yes, Lord, here I am” but now you’ve come to the mountain.  You look around as you prepare to climb…Here’s the wood, you are carrying the fire, the knife is sharp and the sacrifice…The sacrifice…God really asks that of me?  Your thoughts run wild as you try to make sense of it all.  The mountain is tall and your legs are already weary. The tears flow as you take the first step.

How many times have we come to the “mountain” and we stop…the climb is too hard and the cost is too great. But this time, God says, “GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER.  It may seem that it is just you and Isaac climbing up this mountain but I am leading you into your promise.”  God knows you have what it takes to obey, now He wants to show you His Greatness; His faithfulness, but you have to “GO A LITTLE FARTHER.”

Don’t give up, yes the mountain is high; yes the task is great but GO ON A LITTLE FARTHER, God has a “lamb caught in the thicket.”