Genesis 20-22, Matthew 6:19-34 • Key Verse: Genesis 22:5

God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have children. When Abraham moved to Gerar, however, his trust in this promise was tested. He was afraid that the king would kill him and take Sarah as his wife. Instead of trusting, Abraham planned to survive by telling the king that Sarah was his sister. In Gerar, Abraham trusted in his own: plans.

Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Instead of trusting that God would give them a son, Abraham and Sarah had tried to accomplish God’s promise their way, and thus Ishmael was born. The result was great tension after Isaac, the child of promise, was born. In the birth of Ishmael, Abraham trusted in his own plans.

On Moriah, however, Abraham trusted God and experienced His blessing. He obeyed when God told him to sacrifice Isaac. His faith was so strong that he believed God would bring Isaac back to life after being sacrificed. Abraham demonstrated that faith when he told his servants, “We will worship and then we will come back to you” (22:5, emphasis mine). He knew Isaac would return with him.

Like Abraham, We do best when we stay with God’s plans.

Our plans may seem best but are not unless they are God’s plans. We are called to trust and obey. Decide today to make those three words the characteristic of your life—that you trust and obey.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in