The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 8: The Surrender of Abraham
Date: January 8, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz continues the journey through the Bible by exploring pivotal chapters in Genesis (16 and 17), Job (5 and 6), and Proverbs (1:20-33). The central theme revolves around trust, surrender, and the complex interplay between human control and divine providence—highlighted through Abraham and Sarah’s story and Job’s response to suffering. Fr. Mike ties these lessons to our own lives, reflecting on what it means to place ourselves under God's dominion, especially when life is confusing, painful, or uncertain.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Genesis 16–17: Control, Covenant, and Surrender

• Story Recap:
  • Sarai, unable to have children, gives her maid Hagar to Abram to produce an heir. Hagar conceives, causing strife between her and Sarai. Sarai mistreats Hagar, who flees but is told by an angel to return. God promises Hagar her son Ishmael will become a great nation.
  • God appears to Abram at 99, renames him Abraham, and establishes the covenant, with circumcision as its sign. Sarai is renamed Sarah and promised a son, Isaac.
• Reflection on Human Control vs. Divine Plan:
  • Fr. Mike calls attention to Sarai and Abram’s attempt to “take measures into [their] own hands” (22:15), resulting in suffering and strife.
  • “In the space of five verses, Sarai has the idea...and like five verses later, she's yelling at him for doing what she told him to do. It causes problems.” (22:44)
• Meaning of Circumcision:
  • The choice of circumcision as the covenant sign is mysterious and humbling.
  • “Why circumcision? And the answer is, I don't know. But what could it be? ...In so many ways, what does God want to do with our lives? He wants to bless our lives. He wants to let himself be the Lord. That means he has dominion.” (21:06)
• Surrender Theme:
  • Abraham’s willingness to undergo circumcision at 99 is highlighted as an act of radical surrender.
  • The entire household—family and servants—is included, symbolizing a total placing of their lives under God's rule.

2. Job 5–6: Suffering, Friendship, and the Desire for Presence

• Eliphaz’s Rebuke:
  • Eliphaz asserts that suffering is punishment for wrongdoing; Job protests his innocence and challenges the adequacy of his friends’ comfort.
• Job’s Longing:
  • “He wants them in his grief.” Fr. Mike notes that what Job needs is presence, not answers. (25:07)
  • Job’s pain and frustration:
    • “Oh that my vexation were weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances, for then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea.”
• The Universal Struggle:
  • “So often we are not known even by the ones who love us the most. Sometimes the people who love us the most understand us the least.” (24:40)
  • There is a deep resonance here with listeners who may feel misunderstood by their own friends and family during suffering.

3. Proverbs 1:20–33: Wisdom’s Call and Human Stubbornness

• Wisdom Personified:
  • Wisdom cries out in the streets, offering guidance, but is often ignored until calamity strikes.
• Consequences of Ignoring Wisdom:
  • “Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complaisance of fools destroys them. But he who listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of evil.” (41:09)
• Connection to the Main Theme:
  • The refusal to listen to God’s wisdom parallels Abraham and Sarai’s attempt to direct their story.

4. Guided Prayer and Personal Reflection

• Fr. Mike leads a prayer seeking God’s presence and truth, asking for peace for all who are suffering.
• Emphasizes that “sometimes...we don’t want answers as much as we want you, Lord God.” (27:33)
• Encourages listeners to place their confusion, pain, and unanswered questions into God’s hands.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Human Control vs. Faith:
  “Here is God who has promised that from Abraham or Abram would be a vast dynasty. And he is 100 years old. So that's not happening anytime soon, right? ...We see though, that when we take measures into our own hands, nothing good comes of it.” (21:39)
• On Changing Identity:
  “There's a difference...between Abram and Abraham and Sarai and Sarah. And that change is—makes up the bulk of their life...there is a change when they're brought into covenant with the Lord God.” (19:55)
• On Friendship and Presence:
  “Sometimes the people who love us the most understand us the least. And that's what's happening right now with Job and his friends...He wants them in his grief.” (24:45, 25:08)
• On Surrender:
  “That's one of the invitations that God has for us today as well, is to place ourselves under his dominion even when we don't know what he's doing.” (22:56)
• On Prayer amid Suffering:
  “In the midst of suffering, we sometimes don't want answers as much as we want you, Lord God. And so please just give us yourself, give us your peace.” (27:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Genesis Reading and Commentary: 01:00–22:30
• Job Reading and Reflection: 22:30–25:20
• Theme of Presence in Suffering: 24:40–25:20
• Proverbs Reading: 39:00–41:40
• Guided Prayer: 27:13–28:13
• Surrender and Covenant Reflection: 19:50–23:10

Final Thoughts

Fr. Mike's episode thoughtfully ties the biblical narratives into practical, spiritual lessons on surrender, faith, and the desire for presence—in suffering and daily life. Through Abraham’s transformation and Job’s dialogue, listeners are invited to reflect on when to let go of control and allow God’s providence to guide their path, even when answers aren’t clear.