Weekly Devotional – November 2-6
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Five-Day Devotional • Abraham’s BIG Test |
November 2–6, 2026 |
Monday: Beth’s Isaac
Ben talked about Pastor’s sermon all the way home from Outback Steakhouse. He kept going back to the two questions: “Do you love God? How would you defend your answer?” He missed how quiet the car had become. John kept his eyes on the road. Jane looked out her window. Beth held her phone in her lap. Pastor’s questions had landed on something specific in each of their lives. For Beth, it was a text from Lance: “So is it a yes for Friday?”
In her room, Beth sat on her bed and read the text again. Lance was funny, cute, and one of the most popular guys at school. When he asked her to a movie, she wanted to say yes on the spot. Dating Lance would put her at his lunch table and in the middle of every weekend plan. She also knew Lance was an unbeliever. When she invited him to youth group, he laughed and said church was her thing. She had told herself that would change once they started dating.
She opened her Bible to Genesis 22. God intentionally referred to Isaac as the son whom Abraham loved. Then God instructed Abraham to go offer the son he loved as a sacrifice to God. Beth knew what God was asking of her. Her parents had taught her that dating leads toward marriage, and the Bible tells believers to marry believers. Dating Lance meant giving her heart to a boy who rejected Jesus.
She turned her phone face down and prayed. “Lord, I really like him. You know that. But I love You more, and I want my choices to show it. Help me tell him the truth and be kind about it. Please save him.” Then she typed: “I have to pass on Friday. I really like you, but my faith comes first, and I want to date a guy who loves Jesus. I’m still your friend.” She pressed send and cried a little. Then a peace settled over her that she had been missing all week.
What Scripture Says
What is the standard of love for God that His law demands? “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Abraham proved his love for God was greater than his love for Isaac because he chose to trust and obey God even if it meant losing Isaac. God said, “now I know that thou fearest God” (Genesis 22:12).
God tells believers who to join their lives with. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). A yoke joined two animals so they pulled together. Beth measured her love for God against Abraham’s love for God.
| Five-Day Devotional • Abraham’s BIG Test | November 2–6, 2026 |
Tuesday: Ben’s Sunday Nights
Tuesday after school, Ben sat in the library with the robotics team sign-up form open on his laptop. It was due Wednesday. The team built robots and competed all year, and Ben had wanted a spot since middle school. The team met every Sunday at six in the evening, the same hour as the evening service at church.
For two weeks Ben and his parents had argued about it. His case seemed solid to him. The church streams the evening service, and he could watch it later that night in his room. “It’s one service,” he told his dad. “I’ll still be there every Sunday morning.” His dad kept giving the same answer: “Watching later is different from worshiping with God’s people.” Ben rolled his eyes every time.
Staring at the form, Ben thought about Pastor’s questions from Sunday: “Do you love God? How would you defend your answer?” Ben thought about how he planned his week. Robotics went on the calendar first, and God fit in afterward. He opened his Bible app to Matthew 22:37. Jesus said to love God with all the heart, soul, and mind, and He called it “the first and great commandment.” First. Ben had been working hard to put God second. Then he read Genesis 22:3. Abraham “rose up early in the morning” and went. He obeyed God without arguing.
Ben closed his laptop and prayed right there at the library table. “God, I really want this team. You know how long I’ve wanted it. But I’ve been fighting Mom and Dad so I could put You second. I’m sorry. I want You first, Sunday nights included.” He deleted the half-finished form. He felt a little sad and a lot relieved. He decided to tell his parents himself, and to tell them he was sorry for how he had treated them.
What Scripture Says
Jesus ranked this command as #1. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37–38). The way we plan our time shows what holds first place.
“And Abraham rose up early in the morning” (Genesis 22:3). Moses commanded Israel “to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12). Love is always demonstrated through action.
| Five-Day Devotional • Abraham’s BIG Test | November 2–6, 2026 |
Wednesday: Jane’s Cousin
Wednesday on her lunch break, Jane sat in her car outside the office and looked at the invitation again: “Rachel’s 40th! Saturday night at the lake house. Drinks on us!” Rachel’s friends from work were throwing the party. Jane and Rachel were cousins born two months apart. They shared a bed every summer at their grandmother’s and stood in each other’s weddings.
Rachel went to church most Sundays and knew every hymn. The rest of the week she drank with her friends, cussed, and lived for herself. Jane knew what Saturday would be like. There would be heavy drinking, and the talk would turn crude as the night went on. The last time Jane went to one of their parties, she left early and felt dirty the whole drive home. She also remembered her own few months of drinking in college and the shame that came with it.
Rachel had texted twice that week. “You’re coming, right? It will feel empty without you.” Jane had already started building a plan. She could stay one hour, drink a soda, and slip out early.
Then Sunday’s sermon came back to her: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” Jesus named the people closest to us. Jane thought about Abraham. God called him away from a family that worshiped false gods. Then God instructed Abraham to go offer the son he loved as a sacrifice to God. Abraham proved his love for God was greater than his love for Isaac. Jane loved Rachel like a sister. This was her test.
She bowed her head over the steering wheel. “Lord, I love Rachel, and I am afraid this will hurt her. But I love You more. Give me the right words, and please draw her heart to You.” Then she called Rachel. “I love you, and I want to celebrate you,” Jane said. “I am going to skip Saturday night because of the drinking and the crude talk. Can I take you to breakfast Saturday morning instead? My treat.” The line went quiet. Then Rachel laughed softly. “You always were the church girl. Pancakes at eight.” Jane hung up with tears in her eyes and peace in her heart.
What Scripture Says
God commands us to love Him with all our heart. Joshua repeated this command to Israel: “to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him” (Joshua 22:5). Keeping His commandments includes His command about drinking. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Jane kept loving Rachel and kept God first.
| Five-Day Devotional • Abraham’s BIG Test | November 2–6, 2026 |
Thursday: John’s Job
Thursday morning, John sat in his office with the door closed and read the email again. His company was reorganizing in January. His new role would add regular travel to clients out of state. The trips would fall on the same evenings he served at church.
John had worked there for nineteen years. The company had been good to his family. He also thought about the Wednesday night teen class he and Jane taught together and the Tuesday evenings he spent discipling new men at the church. God had been using him in those places. The new schedule would take him away from all of it.
A month earlier, a friend at another company across town had called about an opening there that kept him home every night. John had brushed it aside. Starting over after nineteen years felt like too much. All morning he reasoned it out. He would still love God on the road. He could read his Bible in hotel rooms, give to the church, and help when he was home. God would understand. But Pastor’s most important question kept coming back to him: “Does your love for God fulfill His law?”
At lunch, John opened his Bible at his desk to Genesis 22. Isaac asked his father where the lamb was. Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb.” Abraham chose to trust and obey God even if it meant losing Isaac. John’s test was leaving a company he had given most of his working life. Then he turned to Deuteronomy 11:13, where Moses commanded Israel to love the LORD and “to serve him with all your heart.” Deep down John knew the answer. God was calling him to keep serving at church, even if that meant leaving his job.
John bowed his head at his desk and prayed. “Lord, I have been here a long time, and starting over scares me. But I love You more than this job. I want to keep serving You where You have been using me. Help me trust You with this change.” Then he called his friend and asked if the job was still open. It was. John set up an interview for Monday and decided to tell Jane that night.
What Scripture Says
Abraham trusted God on the walk up the mountain. “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Abraham loved God with all his heart, soul and might. It was proven when he obeyed God’s command, even if that meant losing Isaac. Moses tied love for God to serving Him. “To love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 11:13). John chose to keep serving.
| Five-Day Devotional • Abraham’s BIG Test | November 2–6, 2026 |
Friday: Back at Outback
Friday night the family went back to Outback Steakhouse. This time the car ride was loud. Ben ordered the ribs before the server finished saying hello. Jane and Beth split a Bloomin’ Onion. When the food came, John set down his fork. “On the way home Sunday, everybody got quiet,” he said. “I think God was working on all of us. I’ll go first.”
John told them about the travel at work and how it would take him away from their Wednesday night teen class and the men he was discipling. “I have been with that company nineteen years, and I wanted to stay. But God wants me serving at church. I have an interview Monday at a company across town.” Jane already knew, and she squeezed his hand anyway.
Ben went next. “I deleted the robotics form,” he said. He looked at his parents. “I’m sorry for arguing with you about it. I want God first, Sunday nights too.” John put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I am proud of you, son.”
Beth told them about Lance. “I told him I’d pass. It was hard. He’s popular, and I really liked him. But I want to date a guy who loves Jesus.” Jane wiped her eyes. “Sweetheart, I am so proud of you.”
Then Jane told them about Rachel and the party. “I’m taking her to breakfast tomorrow. I love her, and I am praying God draws her heart to Him.” Beth hugged her mom across the booth.
Ben grinned. “So all four of us had an Isaac this week.” John laughed. “And all four of us chose God.” Right there at the table, John bowed his head and prayed. “Father, thank You for leading our family this week. Thank You for giving each of us the strength to obey You. Help us keep loving You with all our heart, soul, and might.” They said amen, and Ben went back to his ribs.
What Scripture Says
Moses promised God will make this kind of love possible. “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). To circumcise the heart means God changes the heart from the inside. John, Jane, Ben, and Beth each chose God this week. God gave them the heart to do it.