We Follow God’s Plan and Trust He Will Provide

In the business world, when putting together plans I make it a practice to put together the plan and then the contingency or “what if” plan. God always has the plan fully laid out and does not need any contingencies.

“⁷And Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Her am I, my son.’ He said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ ⁸Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together.” – Genesis 22:7-8 (ESV)

When I look at these verses and the complete passage, I see the planning taking place for the action Abraham is to take. He gathers the supplies for the offering, including the sacrificial item itself, Isaac. He follows the plan of going to the place and preparing for the action. He begins to go through with the action.

“⁹When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reach out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here am I.’” – Genesis 22:9-11 (ESV)

Abraham continued with the plan until he was stopped. Now I have no doubt there was a huge sigh of relief with Abraham at this point. He was about to kill his own son, and was stopped just before the action was completed.

Abraham was following through with the plan laid out for Him as instructed by God. Was he hopeful of a contingency plan in verse 8 where he indicated to Isaac that the lamb would be provided? You bet, but he was following through with the original plan as instructed.

“¹²He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham wen and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” – Genesis 22:12-13 (ESV)

We have a plan that has been laid out for us by God and it is our obligation to follow through with that plan. When God sees out obedience, He provides for our needs at that moment. The key thing for us is to continue following the plans laid out and listening for the Word of God in case there is any contingency He would like us to take.

When you are doing God’s will, are you looking for a way out? Are you seeking for some other plan to be presented and hesitating? Are you aware that if there is another way, that God will provide?