The Insanity Of Sacrifice - A 7 Day DevotionalSample

Day 7

One Step at a Time

The Lord said to Abram: “Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” So Abram went . . . Genesis 12:1, 4a

Because most of us like to have a plan, we struggle a bit with God’s instructions to Abram (who would later be known as Abraham). “Go out from your land,” God says. “Leave your relatives and your father’s house. Leave all of that . . . and go to the land that I will show you.” God’s call to Abraham is simple enough, but it is remarkably short on details.

Most of us would probably be hoping for something more. In fact, if we were to hear that kind of command from God, many of us would ask God for more. We might say in response, “God, thank You for Your call, but I need additional information. Where exactly will we be going? How will we get there? Who will pay for this trip? How long will the journey take? And most important, can You tell me how things will turn out?” Abraham’s response in Genesis 12 is, however, quite different. Upon hearing God’s unadorned and imprecise call, Abraham simply obeys. God says, “Leave,” and Abraham leaves.

Later in the New Testament book of Hebrews, we find this assessment of Abraham’s response to God: By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. (Heb. 11:8)

If we had been watching Abraham at the time, we might have dismissed his decision simply to leave for an unknown land as foolishness. But today we do not call Abraham irresponsible; instead, we see him as the epitome of faith and obedience. God told Abraham to do something that made no sense, something that carried an unspeakably high cost, something that most people just don’t do. And even as all the follow-up questions swirl in our minds, we read the words that come next in the story: so Abraham went.

We celebrate this story today because it shows us how good it is, how honorable it is, and how holy it is to believe God so deeply that we are willing to take one more step . . . even when we have no idea where that next step might lead.

While God was often very clear with us when He gave us tasks to do, there were also times when the details were sparse. We often found ourselves wondering what exactly we were doing, whether what we were doing made sense, and how things would work out if we did what God was telling us to do.

Even in those times of uncertainty, God proved Himself to be faithful. And not one time in our lives have we looked back and decided that our obedience to God had been a mistake. Willingness to obey is something God adores. God loved it about Abraham, and He loves it in His children today. God is forever on the lookout for people who will take the next step with Him . . . even when that step makes no sense . . . even when that next step carries a high cost . . . and even when that next step is something most people just don’t do.

If our demand for more details prevents us from obeying God immediately, we may be in danger of missing out on what God has in mind for us. “Leave,” God said to Abraham. “Go. Take a step. I’ll show you the next step once you take that first step.” And Abraham left.

God, sometimes we love our plans more than we love You. Sometimes our need for details delays our obedience. Sometimes we will not move forward without assurances and promises and guarantees. Forgive us for making things so complicated. In truth, all that matters is Your call. Give us the courage to obey. Assure us that the only detail that matters is the certainty of Your presence with us as we go.

We adapted this Plan from another resource. Learn More about The Insanity of Sacrifice: A 90 Day Devotional  by Nik Ripken.