Here I Am

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

Genesis 22:1 NIV

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

Genesis 22:11 NIV

This reminds me of an old friend old mine. Whenever we were listening to a message about being willing to go and serve the Lord he would lean over to me and say, "Here I am, Lord, send him." Seriously though, we both were trying to serve God.

Abraham's reply to God was simple. "Here I am." Abraham was willing to obey even when it seemed to go against what he understood to be God's plan. He was also willing to obey when God in the middle of an act of obedience. There's a lot we could meditate on in this passage. I just want to focus on Abraham's attitude expressed in, "Here I am." 

Abraham was God's servant and God's friend. As God's servant he simply was ready and willing, "Here I am." As God's friend he was ready to believe and obey, "Here I am." Christ said, "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). So, today as we seek the Lord we do so with a heart that simply says, "Here I am." 

VICTORY IS OURS!/ Psalm 44:4-5

"You are my King and my God,
     who decrees victories for Jacob.
 Through you we push back our enemies;
     through your name we trample our foes."
 Psalm 44:4-5

If there is going to be any victory in our lives it is because of our Kind and God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Just as the Psalmist realized the victories were all about God, we too must realize, only God can bring the victory.

"Through your name" we trample down our foes. I was just reading I Samuel 7 this morning and few things apply. First of all Israel repented (verse 2), and while they were seeking the Lord their enemy, the Philistines, decided to attack (verses 7). Isn't that the way it goes? We start to seek God in earnest and the trials start to come. The Israelites sought God and he gave them the victory (verses 14). 

Here's the deal: There will be battles. We will seek God and he will give us the victory. 

Father, help us to seek you. We look to you for the victories we need in our marriages, children, jobs and finances. Praise be to you in us today!