Genesis: The Story of God's FaithfulnessSample

FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE 

Listen to the audio guide to hear the complete devotional with Scripture, teaching and a worship song! Find a condensed, written version of this devotional below: 

Obeying God doesn’t always make sense. Oftentimes, we’re called to sacrifice things that we don’t want to give up; to believe certain things that are at odds with our current culture; or to behave in such a way that’s contrary to what feels best to us. In Genesis, we find an account of Abraham obeying God even when it didn’t make sense to him.

God gave Abraham and Sarah their promised son: Isaac. However, many years later, when Isaac is a young man, God tells Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering sacrifice.

Abraham obeys, and as he goes to the altar with Isaac, he tells his friends that both he and Isaac will return. This is not an empty promise. Abraham has complete faith in God’s promise to bring a line of descendants through Isaac. Therefore, as Hebrews 11:19 says, God will somehow keep Isaac alive, even if it means raising Isaac from the dead. Abraham is empowered to obey because of his faith in God’s promise. God’s call doesn’t make sense to Abraham, but he trusts that God will be faithful to his word and somehow work everything out. 

Indeed, right before Abraham kills Isaac, God stops him. God provides a substitute ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead, and Abraham calls this location, “The Lord will Provide.” 

For Christians today, we are called to model the same obedience as Abraham, trusting God and his promises even when it doesn’t make sense to us. And we are empowered to obey by the Holy Spirit inside of us, which we have because of Jesus and his obedience to God on the cross.

REFLECT: Think about a specific way God calls you to obey him that doesn’t make sense to you. Then, say a prayer expressing your struggle to God. Reflect on God’s promised reward for obedience, and ask God to give you the power to obey.