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Abraham’s Act of Worship
Charmaine Rayment is a voluntary missionary at Jews for Jesus. She has a real passion for worship ministry. Sister Charmaine has agreed to become a contributor to a podcast series called “A Life of Worship”. This is part two of a teaching series entitled “Abraham’s Act of Worship”. Below, you will find some notes from the episode as well as the podcast itself. Enjoy listening.
Notes from this episode
ABRAHAM’S ACT OF WORSHIP PART 2 OBEDIENCE
Just as worship involves hearing accurately from God, it also involves total obedience to his instructions. I Samuel / Sh’mu’el Alef 15:22 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. Abraham could only have arrived at the exact place by listening and obeying. Obedience to God’s instructions will lead us to his provision for us. Verses 13 Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and behold, there was a ram, just caught in the thick bushes by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place, ADONAI Yireh, – as it is said today, “On the mountain, ADONAI will provide.” Here we see God’s provision for the sacrifice, however please notice that the provision would not have been there if Abraham had not been in the right place. He had to go to the exact location that God told him to go to. We need to make sure that we are in the centre of God’s will for our lives. Whatever plans God has for us, the provision will be there provided we walk in obedience. What do you understand by obedience? Is God requiring you to respond in obedience to something in your life right now? Will you obey even if the cost is high? ACTION Verse 4: On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from a distance. To fulfil God’s command, required action on Abraham’s part. He still had to walk the distance as well as climb the mountain. How often do we expect everything to just ‘happen’? However, action also requires faith. The journey took three days and three nights and it was during that time that God gave Abraham the necessary specific instructions. During those three days can you just imagine the kind of thoughts that must have gone through Abraham’s mind? To walk in faith means to trust God implicitly. Trust is built through relationship which in turn is built through spending time alone with God. How is your relationship with God? How do you react when God gives instructions? Do you sit back waiting for something to happen or do you begin to act in faith remembering that God’s timing is crucial? What do you understand by ‘walking in faith’? SEPARATION Verse 5: Abraham said to his young men, “Sit yourselves down here with the donkey. As for me and the young man, we’ll go over there, worship and return to you.” Here we see Abraham separating himself from the group in order for him and his son to go and worship. As important as corporate worship is, we do need to separate ourselves and spend time alone with God. As with any relationship, you only really get to know someone when you spend quality time alone with that person How often do you take time out to be alone with God? Do you like spending time alone with God or does it feel like performing a duty? What keeps you from spending alone time with God? How can you change your alone time with God so that it becomes a blessing? If you are finding that you don’t have time to be alone with God, then what can you change in your schedule that will give you more time?
