September 18, 2008

• God is Better and Best

  I just dug up this devotional I wrote in 2002.  May it be a blessing to you today. 

  “God is
  Better and Best”  Genesis 22         

  Some things to Ponder: 

  1.  Have you ever had to wait to get something
  you were promised?  How would you feel
  if the wait was long and you didn’t know when it was coming?
  2.  What feelings would you have once you got
  it?
  3.  How would you then feel about the object
  that had been promised to you? 

  For
  over twenty years, Abraham waited for a son. 
  This son was the key to an incredible inheritance that God had
  promised.  Years after the son was born,
  God told Abraham to sacrifice this very son. 
  What would you have done? Read Gen 22:1-19 to see what Abraham
  did.

              Abraham did not withhold his son
  from God – even though we know that Abraham loved this child like nothing else
  – we know this because he had waited so long before he got this son.  But he obeyed God.  Why? 

              It says in v. 12 that Abraham feared
  God, and fearing God means that you do not withhold anything from
  Him.  Abraham must’ve known a
  secret.  The only time someone
  would be willing to give up something good is when there’s something better to
  be gained to replace that.  So what was the secret? 

  God is better and
  best! 
  

  As he gave up the thing he loved most,
  Abraham was saying, “Lord, as much as I love my son, I love You more than
  him.  You are better than
  anything else in this world.  You are
  the best thing in this world!”  After Abraham
  made this choice, he was not disappointed. 
  He found out in inexpressible ways how incredibly “better and best” God
  actually was!   

  Today
  God is presenting this choice to you as well. 
  What is it that you love more than anything?  Would you be willing to give this up for God
  in order to find what is better and best? 
  In the act of surrendering to God, you would get a chance to say, “Lord,
  you are totally more satisfying, fulfilling and interesting than this other
  thing.”  As you declare this in your heart, you will find out how incredibly true this is!  God wants to replace the good things you now have with something
  even better:  Himself.

  Pause & reflect:

              As you begin to think about things
  that you are holding onto, think about this final thought:  God calls you to not withhold anything from
  Him, and what He promises you is that He will not
  withhold anything good from
  you (Psalm 84:11, Rom 8:32)!  Consider
  this before God as you consider offering the things that are important to you
  in order to be wholly devoted to Him. 
  Pray that He would show you that He is better and best.

              John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8

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