Saddle Up

Saddle Up
Words of Faith 4-20-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 22
    Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
    "Here I am," he replied.
    [2] Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
    [3] Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

         Imagine that you finally have what you have dreamed of all your life! The very thing that you thought was impossible is finally here! Your dream has finally come true, and God asks you to give it back? Worse yet, God asks you to destroy it with your own hand. That was the test.
         The test that God put on Abraham was straightforward but deeply disturbing. God said to Abraham, in essence, "Are you willing to give up anything for me? Are you willing to give up even your dream and future for Me? Are you willing to trust Me enough to give up the very promised child by which you believe I am fulfilling the promise I made to you? Are you willing to let go of what is most precious to you to prove your devotion to Me?"
         This may be the most challenging story in the whole Bible because faith presses us to release the promises God has given us. This test was genuine. Abraham lived in a time and world in which child sacrifice was actually common. It was not an unreasonable request according to the culture that surrounded Abraham.  
        Abraham did not know that it would be against the Law of God to kill Isaac, so this was a very real thing. Today, we would know that any "voice" telling us to kill a child could only be demonic. Today, we know that God would not make such a request that directly opposes His Law. But before the giving of the Law to Moses, this was a frightening test. Today, we know that people who hear a voice directing them to commit homicide need expert medical care immediately.
         So let's put this in terms we understand. What if God asked us to give up something nearly so precious? What if God asked us to give up a dream or vision that we have pursued and understood to be from Him? What if God asked us to give up a career or calling, or mission we knew was from Him? What if God asked us to give up something that we love very much? How would we respond? That is our challenge to consider.  
         Why Isaac? God probably asked for Isaac because this child was the one thing that Abraham was tempted to love more than God. Sometimes, we let a person or place or thing become too important in our lives. It may even be a wonderful thing or ministry, an achievement or honor, an office or function. Sometimes the very thing that God is using becomes a small idol in life. God knew that Isaac was so precious that Abraham was tempted to trust in Isaac nearly as much as he trusted in God. That is why the test.  
         Is there an "Isaac" in your life? Maybe it is your place of achievement or ministry, an honor, or a financial resource. It is not a bad thing, but it is the one thing you are tempted to trust in more than God or love more than God. Maybe it is your own talent and ability. Whatever it is, are you willing to surrender it to the Lord? The Lord may test you someday in this. He may ask for such a thing. The better course is to surrender that thing, person, or place to Him now.  
        How did Abraham respond? He saddled up a donkey and headed for the place of sacrifice. We can saddle up and head for the place of surrender.

         Father, is there anything in my life that is becoming an idol? Is there anything that is coming between You and me? Is there anything that I am tempted to love more than You? Is there anything that I am tempted to worship? Please show me. I surrender all to You. I lay down my life, my all, for Your use. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.