Hebrews 11:19 Where's the Sacrifice?

The Bible tells us how God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. All that Isaac knew is that he was carrying the wood for a burnt offering and that his father was carrying coals in a pot to start the fire. As they made their way up a mountain where the sacrifice was to take place, Isaac finally asked Abraham, "We have wood; we have fire... where's the sacrifice?" Abraham replied, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8, English Standard Version)

Abraham said this in faith  because "he considered that God was able even to raise Isaac from the dead..." (Hebrews 11:19, ESV)

As it turned out, just when Abraham drew a knife to sacrifice his son, God's angel interrupted the sacrifice and said, "Now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” Abraham looked up and saw a ram stuck in a thicket. God had indeed provided the sacrifice. (Genesis 22:12-13, ESV)

However, this was not a "leap of faith." If you read through his biography, Abraham's faith had been tested many times before this challenge. At each turn, he learned to trust God more and more. Trusting that God would provide  a sacrifice, trusting that Isaac would live, wasn't "blind faith."

Recently I was watching a lifeguard at our local pool, coaxing a little girl to jump off the diving board. She was naturally afraid, but when her instructor was in the water below her, waiting to catch her, what overcame her fear was all the previous experiences of trusting the lifeguard--that he wouldn't let her drown or get hurt.

Father in heaven,

There are many challenges to our faith. Some seem minor; others seem huge. Remind us of all the ways You've proven Yourself trustworthy so that we will be filled with faith--regardless of how big a step we have to take in order to follow You. In Jesus' name, Amen.