Suffering: Sacrifice, Like Abraham
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey…
Genesis 22:1-3 (NASB)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)
FOR US, God sacrificed His only Son: to see Him tortured, crucified, and die.
FOR US, Christ sacrificed 33 years: to leave Heaven's throne for a straw-filled crib.
FOR GOD, Abraham proved himself willing to sacrifice Isaac– and passed faith's test.
FOR CHRIST, disciples sacrificed their all:
Homes, wealth, careers, family, and safety.
Old goals, bad friends, and seductive habits.
To live danger-filled lives of adventure.
Because the sacrifice of selfishness is the least we can do for our Savior. Once done, our lived become more beautiful, more meaningful, and more adventurous.
Because how could our small-minded desires measure up to the Lord's expansive plans? Or how could our tiny acquisitions compare to His wonders in store for us?
It's like swapping teenage tunnel vision for the expectant faith of a small child:
'And He said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven' ' (Matthew 18:3).
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
I thank God you're willing to sacrifice “customary” for EXTRAORDINARY (because that’s exactly what you’re doing)! Some my scoff at your unfamiliar walk… because they've opted for what seems safer.
But NOTHING is safe outside of God’s will. If we refuse to carry our crosses and sacrifice our worldly agendas…
To follow where Jesus is leading us, and to model our lifestyles after His, then we're risking everything for nothing.
Therefore, let's mutually encourage our fellow Christian’s sacrificial steps.
Suffering: Sacrifice, Like Abraham (Part 22)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!