“Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” (Genesis 22:14)

Dear PVUMC Family,
I am Pastor Sophia. Some Bible passages make us say, “Amen!” Others make us pause and say, “Wait…what?”

Genesis 22:1–19 is certainly one of those passages.

God asks Abraham to take Isaac, his beloved son, and offer him as a sacrifice. It is a difficult and unpleasant story. We naturally have questions: Why would God ask this? What was Abraham thinking? What was Isaac feeling? And perhaps, what was Sarah thinking when Abraham came home?

We should not be afraid of these questions. Scripture gives us room to wrestle with difficult things.

Sometimes we want God to explain everything clearly with a beginning, middle, end, and maybe a few helpful bullet points!

But we cannot understand God completely. God is God, and we are not.

Even when we cannot understand God’s ways, however, we can trust God’s character. Genesis 22 reminds us that God knows our hearts, sees what we cannot see, provides what we need, and does not abandon us in the moments we cannot understand.

Abraham did not know how his story would end. But God did.

At the moment when Abraham needed a sacrifice, God provided a ram which represents Jesus Christ, the lamb of God. Abraham named that place, “The Lord will provide.”

What a beautiful reminder for us.

There may be moments in our own lives when we do not know what comes next. We may have questions about our families, our future, our church, or simply tomorrow. We may wish God would give us the whole map.

But often, God gives us something else: enough light for the next step.

That is one reason we gather for worship.

We do not come because we understand everything. We come because we trust the One who knows better than us.

So, church, let us come together this Sunday with open and honest hearts. Bring your questions. Bring your worries. Bring your hopes. Bring whatever you are carrying.

Let us sit together in God’s presence, listen for God’s voice, and remember that we are not walking alone.

Whatever we face, God knows us, God is with us, God provides, and God protects.

Come, let us worship the God who meets us even in the places we do not understand.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Sophia (Seung Hae) Yoo-Hess