A Thicket or A Ticket for Destiny?

 The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac his beloved son of promise will always be an astonishing best-seller. We all know that for that remarkable act of obedience by Abraham, God made an everlasting covenant with him and swore to bless him irreversibly. Many times, we have celebrated Abraham’s bold act, his faith in God and his readiness to let go; we have celebrated Isaac’s boldness and willingness to be sacrificed as well but there is someone that we hardly celebrate- The RAM caught in the Thicket.

Genesis 22: 13.

“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son”

 God had given Abraham and Sarah the promised child after 25 years of waiting. He did it as He promised, at the fullness of time... Halleluyah! Everyone had come to rejoice with them, the child had grown in strength and beauty and He had become the delight of everyone and the apple of his parents’ eye. All of a sudden, the same God says “Abraham, sacrifice your son to ME”. In case the meaning of sacrifice doesn’t strike any serious meaning, to sacrifice actually means-“lay him on the altar, slash his throat and offer him to Me”. Abraham willingly proceeded to carry out this instruction. Alas, God had a plan, He wanted to test him and he passed but that wasn’t the end of the story. Jehovah-Jireh had prepared a worthy vessel for this moment, for such a significant occasion that will serve as a turning point in the destiny of many generations to come.

More often than not, the sheep should usually move in a flock and there would always be a shepherd who would lead them by the way, hence it is thought provoking to find a Ram (a male sheep) stuck somewhere in the bush, all by itself with no trace of the shepherd or other sheep. How lonely it must have felt; how dejected. He was not only lost, he was caught in a thicket. (A thicket is a thick or dense growth of shrubs, bushes or small trees; a thick coppice).

In retrospect, we understand that the Ram had a divine purpose, a place in destiny; worthy to be mentioned in the bible. Fulfilling a typology of what Jesus Christ was going to do; to be offered as a sacrifice for the world. That Ram was so blessed to have been handpicked by God Himself for such an Eternal purpose and we can’t but acknowledge that what he had gone through, was only a divine set up for his destiny. He was divinely stuck in the thicket for a noble cause. If Rams were to have names, his name would have been mentioned in the bible. He was a substitute for Isaac who was to be offered;  he was hindered, left alone, subjected to stagnancy, hunger by being stuck in the thicket but God was only setting him up for greatness.

Have you noticed what part of his body was caught in the thicket? Not his waist or his legs but he was caught by his HORNS. A horn represents the very core of a Ram’s life as it is almost impossible to see a ram without the horns.  A horn could be used as a musical instrument; it was also a tool used for anointing God’s chosen in the Bible days. (Remember Samuel’s horn used in anointing David and in many other instances in the bible, kings were anointed with oil in horns). So we see that what was meant to be an object of praise, admiration, adoration for the Ram was the very thing by which he was trapped, stuck and despised. That job, that marriage, that child, that relocation which was and is supposed to bring glory to God in your life, may have become the very source of ridicule. ….Hmmmn.  I have some good news for you!

The Ram was “incapacitated” and whilst he was moaning his loss,purpose was revealed. God’s everlasting blessings were to be released on Abraham and his seed (which include you and I) and that divine encounter necessitated the sacrifice of the Ram. Don’t despair, hold on, and turn it to God. Change your mind-set irreversibly from defeat and stick to God by faith, unrepentantly. Just like that Ram, your life and circumstances will undoubtedly end up for a noble purpose. Jesus was made a sacrifice for the world and now, He is seated in a place of glory on the right hand side of the Father; with a name above every other name. Halleluyah!

2^nd Timothy  2: 20 says:

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour. 21Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

From today, deliberately offer yourself to God and sanctify yourself for His use. Make Him the essence of your existence. Who are we without Him anyway? We didn't choose when we would come into this world, whom are parents and siblings would be, our race, colour and what-not but we can choose to Hand over our lives to Him. He has everything about our existence figured out even before we were conceived.  You have the power to decide whether your life and circumstances will be for honour or dishonour. If you choose well, at the end of it all, God will be honoured; He will swear over your life as He did on Abraham. You will be honoured and your story would become a masterpiece that will encourage generations after you.

You may have been caught in a THICKET, don’t despair, It’s a TICKET for your destiny!....Selah

The Pen.....

Picture Credit: Google Credit