Preparation for Elevation Part 5

“A Ram in the Bush”

How many of you all heard the phrase “A ram in the bush”? I'm pretty sure most of you heard that phrase and some of you probably actually experienced a ram in the bush moment. The “ram in the bush” means that God will provide a way out of a difficult situation, even when it seems impossible.

              So here we are in Genesis chapter 22 where God is commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac as a burnt offering. Keep in mind, Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Issac at an old age. This was a child they had been praying about for years and years and now God wants Issac to be sacrificed. How will that make you feel? How will you react to a blessing God gave you only for you to give it back to God? How would you respond if God told you to kill your child?

              But God wanted to test Abraham’s faith. He wanted to observe Abraham’s love for Him because God was getting ready to “elevate” Abraham. But first, God must prepare him for his elevation. Sometimes we don’t understand and feel uncertain when our faith is being tested. Sometimes God will put us through uncomfortable situations to make sure we are ready and prepared for the next elevation in our lives. Abraham was faced with an uncomfortable situation but his “yes” to God allowed him to follow suit with God’s command.

              Are you willing to say “yes” when God requires you to? Will you say “yes” when He commands you to sacrifice? Will you say “yes” when you are in a situation of suffering?

              As Abraham was ready to kill his son, an angel quickly stopped him from killing his son Issac (Genesis 22:11) and a ram in the bush came to replace Issac as a burnt offering to God (Genesis 22:13). Because of Abraham’s obedience, God made a promise to him. His promise was to make Abraham’s descendants populate as many as the stars in the sky and as many as sand on the seashore. His people will also live in cities taken from their enemies and every nation on earth will be blessed through his descendants (Gen 22:15-18). And all of this was because of his obedience!

As you resume the rest of your day, ask yourself are you willing to say “yes” when it seems difficult, are you willing to “obey” God when you are uncertain for your future, are you willing to “trust” when it seems impossible. Remember, there will always be a ram in the bush when you are faced with difficult situations. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).