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Surrender?

For 2021, I am reading through the Bible with the Bible Project-Biblical Storyline Reading Plan on the YouVersion App. This devotional will follow along with the daily reading.

Today's reading is: Genesis 22-24

The idea that God would test Abraham by telling him to give up his son Isaac seems strange. My sense of what is right is challenged. What happened with Abraham and Isaac follows a pattern which is found in life. Sometimes I must give up what I most want in life in order to receive it back from God.

What is God accomplishing in me by asking me to let go? 

I tend to think that I know things. I tend to think that I know myself and that I know what is right and good. But, God knows me better. God knows more about what is right and good than I know. I am so glad that God won't let me go on long thinking that my way is best. God gives me blessings, and He keeps blessing those blessings. He doesn't give and then leave me to take care of myself. God takes care of the blessings He gives so that I can enjoy being with Him. 

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

God also stops me from being harmed by His blessings. There are times when I get too attached to the blessing and become less aware of God. Sometimes I start to think I'm the one in control. Sometimes I take on the burdens myself instead of giving them to God. Whatever reason God has for pulling blessing back, I know that He knows what my hearts needs to keep me growing in reliance upon Him.

God grows our faith according to how much of ourselves we are willing to turn over to Him. Faith is trusting God when we don't understand.

1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV - Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. 

"The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become - because He made us. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. . . It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."– CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.189 

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