RAM IN THE THICKET

Recently, I was interacting with a dear Anna, a dear brother in the LORD, over the struggles in life, and how we may have to be ‘sacrificed’ in someone else’s stead, and for reasons totally beyond us. Many times may be standing as an accused. Our role in the problem may not be much; or, could be, we had nothing to do with it at all. Yet, we are made to pay a very heavy price. Sometimes it sticks with us for a lifetime.

This dear Anna shared what the LORD spoke to him through the incident of Abraham sacrificing Isaac [Genesis 22:13-14] while he, personally, was going through a tough time.

The text in Genesis 22:13-14 reads – “13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”

These are his thoughts out of his meditation on the passage – “…So that day, as I was meditating silently in God’s presence, God showed me the ram in Genesis. The ram that was caught by the horns in the bushes, which Abraham took to sacrifice in place of Isaac.
All these days, I thought that, that particular ram, was unlucky. Because there were so many rams on the mountain that day, but only this one was caught in the bushes. Then God said, “Was he really unlucky?”
Well, then I thought “What could this mean?” God made me understand that day, that this ram was actually chosen, and therefore more privileged than all the other rams that day. Yes, he was caught, and killed. But he died, in place of Isaac. And this ram, an insignificant ram became a type of Jesus.
All the other rams eventually died, may not be on that day, but some days later. But this ram died a special death. His death was an honourable death. His misery actually set him apart from others!!
My heart was exploding with praise for God. What everyone sees as a misery is so that God can put that special mark on us – that we suffered for doing right.”

No one knows what is happening in our lives. May be God intended us to be that ram, in this situation that we are in. How would we look at our situation now? Would we be praising God for this honour bestowed upon us, to be the sacrificial ram? All glory to the LORD!!!