DCLM Daily Manna 23 July 2026: Costly Consecration
KEY VERSE
“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2).
Bible Reading: Genesis 22:1-11 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
READ OTHER DCLM DAILY DEVOTIONAL HERE
Frederick Brotherton Meyer, a Baptist pastor and evangelist in England, contemporary and friend of D. L. Moody, observed that “Consecration is only possible when we give up our will about EVERYTHING.” This may explain why most professing Christians shy away from true consecration. For some others, consecration should be moderated in such a manner as not to exceed the boundary set by “common sense”.
Abraham, as seen in today’s text, demonstrated a high level of consecration. To a normal person, God’s command to him to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to Him was an invitation to eternal sorrow. But Abraham’s love for and devotion to God were more than skin deep. It was such a commitment that was not hinged on any material benefit. The Lord’s demand was explicit: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest… and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of…” Isaac was an only son whose name meant laughter, a child of promise and therefore very beloved to his parents. Yet Abraham was willing to sacrifice him to God.
By that act, Abraham’s obedience and faith were only being put to the test. He was willing to part with his highest love and hope on earth… to even go on a three-day journey to obey God’s extraordinary command. He was moved neither by Isaac’s affecting remark nor the thought of how others would react to him. Satisfied that Abraham’s devotion to Him was no half measure, God intervened and prevented him from sacrificing Isaac. A lamb was divinely provided in his stead, a pointer to the Lord Jesus Christ, the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.
As you reflect on all these, consider how you will fare in God’s test of obedience and faith. If the Lord today requires your Isaac – whatever constitutes your greatest joy on earth – will you be willing to part with it for God’s sake? How much do you love God? Do social and material pursuits stand between you and God? Are you willing to place your prestige on the altar for the Lord? The test is ongoing. Will you pass it?
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Our commitment to the Lord is determined by how far we are willing to go with Him
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Exodus 23-25
DCLM Daily Manna 23 July 2026
