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I want to share how stepping out of your comfort zone can result in a huge blessing, not only for you but also for others.  Sometimes when the Lord wants you to do something, it may cause you to step out of your comfort zone. 

Think of Abraham, when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac, his only child, his son that God provided for him and his wife Sara in their old age when they were past their child bearing years which was nothing short of a miracle.  Isaac’s name meant laughter and I am sure he brought a lot of joy to their lives and they loved him very much.  Then the test came that would cause Abraham to step way out of his comfort zone, he was asked by God to sacrifice his son.  

Read what it says in Genesis 22:1-2, “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’”

Abraham was obedient, and because he was he was abundantly blessed.  

Read what it says in verses 9-19, “Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’

So he said, ‘Here I am.’

And He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’

Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.’ So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.”

This is a very important side note; God provided a ram as a substitute for Isaac and God also provided a substitute for us.  Because of our sins, He provided a Lamb, who was his beloved Son Jesus Christ.

Last week I felt that the Lord asked me to step out of my comfort zone also.  I was asked by my son-in-law if I would go down to Virginia and help them bring back the rest of their belongings that were down there.  I said yes without really thinking about the circumstances, but I did say I couldn’t drive the car back.  Then later as I got thinking about it I didn’t know where I was going to stay or many of the details, like how and where and what I was going to eat and what I was going to do outside of helping them because my wife wasn’t going to be with me and she usually took care of those details.  I have never gone anywhere like this without her since we were married about 36 years ago and I count on her to work many of the details out that take place on these trips.  Another thing I should say is I never liked going anywhere without her because she completes me and makes me happy wherever we are.  

Then there is another problem, I have a severe tremor and when you have a tremor like I have it is very hard for me to eat by myself as well as many other things that I need to do on a fairly steady basis.  Sometimes she has to feed me, which could be embarrassing to some people but she loves to help me in any way she can because she loves me and believes it is a part of the ‘for better or for worse, in sickness and in heath, til death do we part’ commitment she made when we were married saying that I would never be sorry if I married her and I never have been.  Thank God she hasn’t thrown me away because I am somewhat broken, like so many do in their marital relationships.  Many people could learn from her example and believe me I thank God I have her and also Jesus, my Savior and Lord, which makes all this possible.  Then I finally made up my mind to step out of my comfort zone and go and leave the details to the Lord.

Well it seems that the Lord was testing me also and the next day after I made my decision to step out in faith and out of my comfort zone, my wife called from work and said she was going to take that Friday off and she was going with me which made my day and made me very happy.  Then she worked out the details and we went, but that is not the end of the story.

Saturday morning when I woke up I spent some time with the Lord and while I was praying I asked the Lord to help me be a blessing to someone that day.  My son-in-law and daughter had ordered a trailer to get the rest of the things that were left behind, which I had seen the night before when we got there, and I thought that we could get all the stuff in his truck and our van, which would save over 300 dollars between the rent and the gas to get the stuff back home but no one else thought we could do.  So they decided to get a smaller trailer, which they ordered.  Then I told my son-in-law to just give me a chance before he went to get it, and he did.  Well in the end we got it all in the truck and the van.  The only things we left there were a vacuum cleaner, a water hose and a sprinkler, which would have fit in the truck or the van but he decided to leave them for the next owner.

Then there was another blessing; because when my son-in-law called to cancel the trailer and to find out the canceling fee, which could have been fifty dollars or more, he was told it was free, with no canceling fee whatsoever, praise the Lord!!

So if you have been told to step out of your comfort zone by the Lord don’t be afraid, trust the Lord.  This is something to think about, I hope you will.  May God bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!