Theme:   Is It Just Me?

Read: Genesis 22:1-18

Think: Remember the Pink Floyd lyrics, “I have become comfortably numb”? They can be true for me. The moment I get too comfortable on the couch or bed or hammock, I want to fall asleep. Our sermon this week was aimed at helping us move out of our comfort zone and into boldness with Christ.

In the 22^nd chapter of Genesis, Abraham could have gotten comfortably numb too. God blessed his livelihood, and Abraham was considered a rich man with many servants, cattle and sheep. He was the proud father of the promised son, Isaac and all seemed to be going as planned. Until one morning when God asked a strange thing of him.

God asked Abraham to take Isaac, his pride and joy, to the mountains of Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. This doesn’t make a lot of sense in today’s culture, but it may be a little like God asking you to give your only son to a couple who can’t have children. That wouldn’t make a lot of sense to you right? Well early the next morning, without hesitation or any hem-hawing, Abraham saddled the donkey and readied his son for the journey to Moriah.

Abraham single-mindedly set his heart toward obedience. Hebrews 11:19 gives us a clue to what Abraham was thinking, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead,” and so Abraham proceeded in faith to all that God called him to do.

It wasn’t until Abraham fully surrendered his much loved, and only son, Isaac, that God provided a better sacrifice- a ram in the bushes. With a knife in his hand and wood prepared for burning, Abraham was alerted by an Angel that God had provided an alternative. And Isaac was saved from death.

Often God requires us to fully surrender the things we care about before He provides the better alternative. That surrendering process is the most uncomfortable and anxiety provoking thing we can do to ourselves, but it is the only way to draw close to God’s heart and purpose for our lives. God is good, He loves us, and He rewards those who diligently seek him. When we hold the knife to the things that we care most about, God steps in to offer something better- He offers Himself.

As Christ followers, God doesn’t let us get too comfortable with the status quo. He always draws us into the next good thing He has for us.

Pray: God, I want to be obedient to your call. When you ask me to surrender the things I care about over to you, I want to do it without hesitation. Help me to surrender, even when it causes me discomfort. Thank you, Lord.

Do: Name the thing or person that God is asking you to surrender to Him, and make necessary plans to obey.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.