By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭25‬
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

I have talked to quite a few people about this sacrifice of Abraham, and the common consensus seems to be: “I could never sacrifice my child at the altar.” And this is seen as sane and good.

Was God asking too much of Abraham? Did God cross a line here and ask for something evil?

The answer is: “No!” God knew Abraham’s heart. Maybe the care of his son was consuming him, or he valued his relationship with his son close to his relationship with God? Maybe for Isaac to develop and grow God needed to show Abraham he was able to provide for him and his son?

Whatever the lessons God wanted to teach Abraham, he wanted to test his faith and refine it and prove it worthy of further good works for God’s glory. So he asked him to give up the one thing he had waited so long to attain, the one thing his future hopes for a legacy and grandchildren hung on, the one thing most precious to him — his son.

The story goes that Abraham did plan to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, even binding him and readying his knife. But God stopped him and told him to look in the thicket for a sacrifice. There he found a ram.

God asked Abraham to sacrifice the most valuable person for him to God. He wanted his absolute loyalty and faith. So it is with you and I. God wants us to be willing to lay everything down in submission to him. How do we build up our faith to do this? It is a daily discipline of laying down our worries and cares at his feet. Of sacrificing what we want for what others need.

God builds faith in us as we obey him and see his hand in our lives. He opens our eyes to his goodness when we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him.

Lord, thank you for this great passage that highlights all-out sacrifice and submission to you. Teach me to take quality time with you each day, and daily look to your leadership in my life.