Women of Reverence welcomes Robynne De Wet as a guest blogger.
I am a Port Elizabeth born and raised small city girl. I moved to Cape Town with my husband nearly ten years ago. We have been blessed with three little girls, now aged 2,3 and 4.
My husband and I serve on the eldership team at Red Harbour Church.
I have known my King Jesus for 25 years and each year I grow to know and love Him more and more. I am passionate about Gods Word and I love writing about what God shows me through it.
I write for my blog called Robynne Writes. Robynne Writes was birthed out of a place of longing to see women learn Gods Word, love Gods Word and live out Gods Word.
I’ve been reflecting back on the last few months of twenty-twenty. My mind racing with thoughts of crisis, chaos and confusion due to the distress caused by Covid-19. The more I connect with people, the more my eyes are opened to the rough realities of this season. For many people, this year has been a time of great trial and tribulation, frustrations and fear. I cried out to the Lord and I leaned into Gods Word to give me direction and discipline my thoughts. I felt the Lord ask me to summarise this year through the story He wants to tell and not my version of it.
He lead me to the book of Genesis; the story of Abraham and Isaac. Through Abraham, we can learn a lesson or two about how to navigate challenging and testing seasons.
Abraham was a father of faith. The setting of Genesis 22 tells us that the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac. Isaac was the long anticipated son that God had promised to Abraham. Through Isaac, God would fulfil the promises he spoke over Abrahams life many years before.
In this passage of scripture, Isaac is about mid twenties in age and The Lord calls out to Abraham and says:
“Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” - Genesis 22:2
Abraham answered Gods call by saying, “Here Am I.” Abraham was instantly obedient to Gods call. He hastened not hesitated, towards the call of God.
So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. - Genesis 22:3
The first step of obedience was for Abraham to take his beloved son on a journey of faith. God had given Abraham an assignment and Abraham responded in immediate obedience.
This was a great time of trial for Abraham. Abraham walked for three days to the place God had shown him. The tension Abraham felt must have grown stronger with every step he took.
Can you imagine what he was feeling as he travelled for days to reach the place where he would sacrifice his son? Yet Abraham continued to prepare his son for the sacrifice despite all that he felt.
Abraham teaches us that the way to overcome fear is through faith. Abraham trusted that God would provide the sacrificial lamb. Abraham believed in God. Abraham believed God. Abraham knew that God was Holy and that He cannot lie. God promised him that his son would bless the whole world for generations and generations to come.
Abraham teaches us that in moments of chaos and confusion, we need to hold on to the character of Christ. God is who He says He is. He will not and cannot lie.
As Abraham prepared to plunge a knife into his son, an Angel of the Lord stopped him and provided a ram for the sacrifice.
God proved Himself faithful to Abraham. God proves Himself faithful to the faithful. God is faithful and in times of fear, we need to believe in a God who remains true to His Word.
Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you. Genesis 22:15-17
Abraham was blessed because he was obedient. Obedience pleases the heart of the Lord.
Abraham then chooses to name the place where God had spared his sons life. Abraham named this Mount: “Jehovah-Jireh.”
Genesis 22:14 - And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
I remember a time when my middle daughter was incredibly sick. The first six months of her life, consisted of one hospital visit to the next. Three years on and I still look back on those days with feelings of overwhelming sadness and strain.
Abraham, looked back after the most challenging moment of his life and he grew thankful instead of fearful. He named the mountain where he was led to sacrifice his son, the “Mount where God Provides” and not the ‘mount of pain or plight.’
Abraham's response as he reflects on this moment, is one of reverence for The Lord and not restitution for self.
Abrahams heart remained in a place of deep adoration for the Lord. He’s heart maintained an attitude of worship. When we take our eyes off of Jesus, and get distracted by our circumstances, our lens of worship becomes a lens of worry and we begin to sink into a pit of woefulness.
Abraham used his trial to bring testimony and glory to God.
What lens are you using when you begin to reflect on this year?
So often, we tell our story from our perspective and not from the position of fully understanding the provision of God in our lives. Abraham understood this rare truth. A truth that set him free from the confusion that calamity brings.
Can I ask you to redefine your diagnosis and definition of twenty-twenty?
Can I ask you to allow God to rewrite your story, for His glory alone?
As you begin to reflect back on the last few months of covid chaos and lockdown life, I pray that God would renew your perspective of His provision. I pray that you would begin to see things through Kingdom lenses with Kingdom eyes. I pray that God would pour out His peace over you as you begin to reroute, redraft and recast your vision.
He is doing a new thing! Can you not perceive it?
On a practical level, write down three words that describe your experience of twenty-twenty?
Then, rewrite them from your renewed perspective, remembering and reflecting on Gods Word and Who God says He is!
Love
Robyn