by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Jesus Is The Lamb

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So, Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Genesis 22:13-14 English Standard Version

I mentioned in previous devotions that I like Rembrandt’s paintings because of use of light. With light comes shadows and what lurks in the shadows of his painting of Abraham sacrificing Isaac matters most.

The shadow knows.

The Shadow was a popular radio show from the 1930′ to 40′ (yes, that was before my birth). The show began with halloweenish music and the saying, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men. The Shadow knows.”

The lamb that is caught in thicket reminds us of the Lamb of God who knows what evil lurks in the heart of people, all people, even those who know his love. We have inherited this evil from our parents on down to our first parents. It doesn’t take long to realize that evil lurks in human hearts.

I’m privileged to help take care of our grandson who is nearing two years old. Twice a week I watch him and play with him. He does things that I know his parents didn’t teach him, things that hurt me or others. Sometimes I wonder what’s going through his mind.

There is something freeing about knowing we have a God who lurks in our shadows. The hurt and pain we bring into other people’s lives is known by him and through the Lamb who lurks in our shadows, we are forgiven, restored, and set free to live differently, to fight against the evil that lurks inside of us.

This lamb in shadows took Isaac’s place and Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes our place to set us free from our sin that haunts us.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado