FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 12, 2020.

SUBJECT : FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE!

Memory verse: "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten" (Hebrews 11 vs 17).

READ: GENESIS 22 vs 1 - 12:

22:1: Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

2: Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

3: So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.

5: And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

6: So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

7: But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

8: And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.

9: Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order, and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 

10: And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11: But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."

12: And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

INTIMATION:

Being obedient is submission to authority; to comply with orders—the practice of doing what one is commanded to do. Obedience is of the conduct and may be observed. When a man obeys God he gives the only possible evidence that in his heart he believes God. Obedience is a demand on us from God. People who trust God will obey Him because He asked them to, whether or not they understand why God commands it. The reason that He is God is enough to obey Him in every respect. If you think the benefits of obedience are worth it, consider who God is—the only One with the power and ability to meet your every need.

In the passage we read, Abraham demonstrated one of the greatest acts of obedience recorded in history. The child, Isaac, was born after waiting for a hundred years, when his own body was already dead. He was commanded by God to offer the child for a burnt offering, even when he had no hope for another child, more so when God's promise to him was just for a child, and the child had been given him. He undertook a three days journey of 50 miles to Mount Moriah to perform the sacrifice of his promised son, his only son, in obedience to God's command. His obedience was prompt and complete, and without compromise.

Obeying God is often a struggle because it may mean giving up something we truly want; a relationship, habit, asset, emotion, and so on, or doing something against our wish or belief. We should not always expect our obedience to God to be easy or to come naturally. You can imagine how difficult it ought to be for Abraham, performing a human sacrifice of his only son of old age, in a burnt offering, a ritual practiced by pagan nations, and condemned by God as a terrible sin (Leviticus 20 vs 1 - 5). But in all these, Abraham remained every faithful in his obedience.

Although, God did not want Isaac to die, He was only testing Abraham; wanted Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in his heart so it would be clear that Abraham loved God more than he loved his promised and long awaited son. There was no debate with God from a loving father who made the command. There seems to have been no sleepless nights, for He rose up early in order to carry out the instructions of the command. We should not assume that Sarah was informed of the matter, for Abraham told no one what was transpiring. He simply prepared for the journey and for the sacrifice and then headed for the God-appointed location. 

Even when obedience bring problems and hardship, it should not be compromised. For instance, when God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, and they took their message to Pharaoh just as God directed. The unhappy result was harder work and more oppression for the Hebrews. (Exodus 5 vs 1 - 9). Whatever you suffer because of obedience to God does not mean falling out of God's favor. The task or command might seem impossible, and the chances for success appear slim, but the bottom line is to obey. Anyone can obey God when the task is easy and everyone is behind it. Only those with persistent faith can obey when the task seems impossible. 

We should obey God even when we don't understand why. It is wise to precisely follow God's specific instructions. We may not fully understand the reasons behind God's instructions, but we do know that His wisdom is complete and His judgement infallible. We should obey God in all things. Selective obedience is really disobedience. Sometimes people urge believers to compromise and give only partial obedience to God's commands. But commitment and obedience to God cannot be negotiated. God cannot be obeyed in half measures, or with hesitation (Genesis 19 vs 26 on Lot's wife).

Also, God is not obeyed in carelessness. Careful Obedience to God is showing respect for Him. Aaron's sons were careless about following the laws, and in response God destroyed them with a blast of fire ( Leviticus 10 vs 1 - 2). It is easy for us to grow careless about obeying God, to live our way instead of God's, but if one way were just as good as another, God would not have commanded us to live His way. God always has good reasons for His commands, and we always place ourselves in danger when we consciously or carelessly disobey Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the only God, and there is no other. Your thoughts for me is of good, and not of evil. I believe and put my absolute trust in You, and it is my wish to obey Your commands always without compromise. Strengthen me in my commitment to You as I have no power of my own to obey You uncompromising, in Jesus Name. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!