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Daily Devotion

Abraham’s Sacrifice

Our faith is strengthened when we obey God in challenging situations.

February 8, 2023

Genesis 22:1-24

Yesterday we learned about the importance of trusting God’s plan. But sometimes obeying Him isn’t easy. Whenever you face a difficult call, remember Abraham. In today’s passage, he was given one of the greatest tests recorded in the Bible, yet he obeyed willingly and promptly. His response teaches important lessons about yielding to God. 

Sometimes obedience collides with human reason. The covenant God set up with Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 17:7) would pass down to Isaac, the child of promise (Gal. 4:28). Yet now the Lord was telling Abraham to sacrifice the boy. 

Obedience always requires trust in God. Abraham obeyed because he trusted the Lord to fulfill the promise even if that meant his child would be raised from the dead (Heb. 11:17-19). He told his servants, “I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you,” indicating they’d both return (Gen. 22:5).

Obedience leaves the outcome to God. Abraham fully expected the Lord to preserve Isaac in order to keep His promise. But it was unexpected that God would provide a ram as a substitute sacrifice (vv. 12-14). 

The Lord tests us in order to increase our obedience and faith in Him. Will you count God as trustworthy and yield to Him, or will you rely on your own imperfect human reasoning? 

Bible in One Year: Numbers 1-2

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