Changi Chapel

Throughout the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son,  Isaac is the representation of what matters most to a man.

God asks Abraham to sacrifice what matters most, so that only God is the true object of total devotion. 

Abraham demonstrates that God comes first, no matter how valuable the sacrifice.  But God never demands this action. 

He does not command Abraham to slay Isaac.  God asks, “Please?”

We need to see this story in our own lives. 

God says, “Take, please, your most valuable possession, and sacrifice it on a mountain I will show you.” 

Take your dreams, your children, your spouse, your fame, your wealth, your future – and slaughter it with the ma’akelet (knife used to slaughter the animal). 

Put it on the altar of death.  Believe that I am El Shaddai – the God who can do anything – even if it looks like your dreams will be burned up.” 

The test of faith – and we all have one – is to believe God in spite of our circumstances. 

The test is to believe that God must come first and to act according to that conviction.  If we say that we love God, but we withhold our most prized possession, then we are lying to ourselves. 

If we say that we trust God, but we refuse to sacrifice our future to Him, then we are deceiving ourselves.

There is an altar in every life.  It is the altar where you and I are asked to butcher our dreams, our plans and our hopes.  Life is not about us.  It is about God’s purposes through us. 

As long as we keep the ma’akelet (knife to slaughter the animal)  in the sheath, we will never know what God has in mind. 

Take out the knife.  Place your future on the altar and sacrifice it to God.  Let Him give you “another ram” – another life. 

The future you really needed must always come from the hand of God after the future you thought you needed is gone.

Will you place your Isaac on the altar today? – because with God it’s worth the trade-off!

Skip Moen
Author/Bible Teacher/Management Consultant

Your comments, thoughts or suggestions are welcome. The body text is by the author, the header and the words in italics are mine – John B. Samuel