Give up on the promise - Daily Devotoinal January 21st, 2010

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 22, Matthew 21, Nehemiah 11, Acts 21

Is there something you want more than anything in the world? something that you know God wants you to have but you don’t see it possible? there are a couple of those things in my life, dreams that I know are from God but seem completely unattainable, desires that He has put in my heart but I can’t really figure out how I will obtain them.

I am not the only one with those kinds of dreams and desires, Abraham many years before me desired a son. Not only was this his desire but it was also a promise God had given Him, and since Abraham served the one and true God his son came after many years of waiting and even doubting.

But the promise didn’t come without testing. In Genesis 22 God is asking Abraham to sacrifice that son he had been waiting for, God asked him to kill the promise fulfilled. I can’t imagine the thoughts through Abraham’s head, I am sure he didn’t want to do it, I am sure he thought of a thousand ways to avoid the inevitable. I must say that I admire his obedience, but more than that I admire Abraham’s incredible love for God. I believe God wanted to make it clear Abraham loved Him more than he loved the promise, he loved God for who he was not for what he offered.

In Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus tells us the parable of the two sons. Both sons are asked to do something, one says he’ll do it but doesn’t, the other says he won’t but ends up doing it. I believe this parable talks about that love as well, the kind of love Abraham portrayed. Abraham could have easily said sure God I’ll sacrifice my promise, my most treasured dream come true, but end up postponing it because it was raining, or because it was Isaac’s birthday and he didn’t want to upset him, or because he had a blister in his foot. But he didn’t, against all natural instinct he was ready to kill his son.

It got me thinking, if our promises never became a reality, if those dreams and desires stayed just that, dreams and desires, would we still love God with all our heart? if they became true but God asked for us to give them up, would we hold onto the promise and forget about God? Do we do the things we do because we understand the consequences of obeying and disobeying God? or do we do what we do because we love Him? do we love Him because of who He is or because of what He can do us?

Let me ask you today, what is God asking you to give up, what is he asking you to do? do you love Him enough to obey even if it seems you might be giving up on your promise? do you love Him enough to keep obeying even if He never moved a finger for you again? I want to believe I love Him for who He is, and I pray that like Abraham both you and me would give up on the promise and hold on to the One who promised.

Much love,

Jo