“You want me to do what?” He could hardly believe what was being asked of him. Yet, he knew he had to obey. Slowly, they began the climb up the mountain. The man looked over at his son, his only son, and tears began to well in his eyes. Only yesterday, it seemed, he was holding his child in his arms and bouncing him on his knee. What a fine young man he had grown to be. And now the man was being called to do the unthinkable. All he wanted to do was yell out, “Why God why?”, but he knew he had to trust. Still, he had to will himself to put one foot in front of the other to continue this journey up the mountain to the place he was called.

“Father!” the boy cried out.

“Yes, my son, I am here.” The man said.

“We have the wood and the fire father, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Pulling his son tight to him, he searched his heart for the words to say, but his heart hurt more than words could express at the moment. He finally let go and met the boys gaze. “My son,” the man said softly, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering.” Somehow, it seemed, the boy understood.

They reached the clearing and the man called for his son. “Come here my boy, this is where we will offer our sacrifice.”

Quietly he began to build the alter. Ever so gently he placed his son on the wood and bound his hands and feet. No longer could he hide the pain.

Tears flowed down his cheeks, unashamedly as he wept out loud.

Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Of course, we all know the end of that story. God stopped Abraham just in time and instead provided a perfect lamb, without blemish, for him to use instead of his son, Isaac.

But Abraham didn’t get the advantage of knowing the ending.

Abraham was willing to give up his one and only son, simply because HE asked.

SACRIFICE.

To surrender, give up, or renounce something that is prized or desirable for the sake of something or someone else.

Oh, I know what you’re thinking… we don’t have to worry about the “big” sacrifices like Abraham did. God would never call us to actually put a knife through one of our children on an alter. No. You are right. He wouldn’t. He already did that for us – only with nails through the hands and feet of His one and only son – the perfect lamb.

He does, however, call us often to surrender our desires, our wants for the sake of His glory. That, my beloved, is what it is all about…

His Glory.

It doesn’t matter if the sacrifice is big or small, as long as His Glory is shining through.

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:15-18

Abraham had his eyes fixed on the unseen. He had to. If he had looked too carefully at what was in front of him – it would have broken him. He was, after all, only human, just like you and me. He chose by faith, however, to allow the Glory of the Lord to shine through him.

We have that choice too – even in the small sacrifices. Do we fix our eyes on what we can see right in front of us, or we do we choose to fix our eyes on the unseen and allow ourselves to be used for His eternal glory?

Oh Father, sometimes even the little sacrifices you call me to make are so hard. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Abraham and Isaac up on that mountaintop. My hearts desire, Lord, is to be used by you, no matter what the cost, or sacrifice. Help me Lord to keep my eyes focused on you so that I can be an instrument for your Glory to shine through.

Big or small, what has God called you to give up for His eternal glory?