An Impossible Journey?

I was at work, and for the moment, was able to listen to my music.  God connected two seemingly unconnected things together for me in my mind and it blew me away.  I just have to share it. It seems sort of fitting that the day to share it is September 11th.

I have told many that I have read through the Bible over 10 times now. But the most impactful time was when I listened through it.  I have the NASB version in audio form. 

I can remember the story of Abraham and his Wife Sarah. The story is of the Lord's promise to bring them a child.  The child did come and his name was Isaac. You can read about it in Genesis 21. In Genesis 22, it's where the Lord commanded him to go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Then, as I was listening to the song "Even If" by Mercy Me, I remembered the journey of Abraham and Isaac.  They gathered the wood and materials for the journey.  Most of which was on a pack that Isaac wore because he was young and able.

Consider the thoughts going through Abraham's mind.  He knew this child indeed was here by way of a miracle.  It would take another one to save his son. But his faith was growing now.  Even if...
And that's where this song played in my mind.  Remembering the passage.  The description of the preparation.  Their long walk to where they needed to go. The father-son conversations along the way.

Now....the song...

They say sometimes you win some
Sometimes you lose some
And right now, right now I'm losing bad
I've stood on this stage night after night
Reminding the broken it'll be alright
But right now, oh right now I just can't

It's easy to sing
When there's nothing to bring me down
But what will I say
When I'm held to the flame
Like I am right now

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, and I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

You've been faithful, You've been good
All of my days
Jesus, I will cling to You
Come what may
'Cause I know You're able
I know You can

I know You're able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You'd just say the word
But even if You don't
My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It gave me goosebumps after connecting these two things the way that God did.

Life isn't always what it seems to be.

Now go farther.  The same trek was followed by Jesus.  After being condemned, He bore a cross, taking what was to be the sacrifice to that hill above the people.  He did become the sacrifice.  He is and was God's Only Son.  He probably talked to His Father the whole way up to where they were taking Him.

He probably had Satan in His ear trying to convince Him to give up. It's over. He's lost. He's a loser. There's nothing He can do now.  That His Father gave up on Him.
He won and Jesus lost.  Soon He will silence those He was praying to be protected. 

Probably the same kinds of thoughts that came to Abraham about his own son.

Scripture says that Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 

It's powerful.  In the case of Jesus...the world was either silent in the sense of the loss of hope for three days.  Or it was in jubilation over having silenced that which tried to change the world.

Three days later...it was the world that was changed forever.  Jesus came out of the grave.  He overwhelmingly conquered sin, death and the grave.  It was Satan's turn to be silent and weep.  He lost. After all he put Jesus through, he lost.  Worse yet, my dear reader, he's a sore loser.  After losing at the cross, Satan is literally hell bent on taking as many with him as he can.  He is still working to try to mount an offensive against Jesus.  He still believes that with one more chance that he can win. 

Even though he knows what the book of Revelation says.  He loses.

So in this day of remembrance of those this nation lost so long ago due to a terrorist attack, even if such things come, in Christ we hope. In Christ we have won the victory over sin and death.  In Christ.

But only if you have put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  If you haven't then you have a problem.  Without Christ you are not going to get to Heaven.  The gift of Salvation is free for the asking.  Jesus did all the work.  He begs you to come to Him while the offer is available.

Only through Jesus is it possible to enter Heaven.  He is the way the Truth and the Life.

So even if...yes...even if...the day isn't going your way.  Even if life is rough.
Put your faith where it counts.  In Christ Jesus alone.