Your only...

Abraham's act of obedience is a story familiar to many. It's a remarkable tale of a man who was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice to God. Some may find this insane and question whether God knew the depth of what He was asking for. And, yes, He thoroughly did. Genesis 22:2 reads,

“Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac... Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.””

God uses 4 points of emphasis to convey His ask: your son; your only son; whom you love; Isaac. Evidently, God knew exactly what He was asking for: Abraham and Sarah’s old age and only child.

So, don't assume that God will only ask you to sacrifice something that is easy to let go. He understands the true cost of what He asks of us, perhaps even better than we do. Nonetheless, He still makes the request. Why?

Two reasons, among many. For one, He’s Lord of all, so He can ask for anything. But perhaps more importantly, He is our "exceedingly great reward" (Gen 15:1). What we give pales in comparison to what we gain in return. And by "what we gain,” I don't mean just His many blessings. I especially mean that we gain God Himself in all His splendor, isn’t it quite wonderful?

What's the one precious thing or person in your life that you’ve deemed untouchable, just as Abraham regarded his "only son"? If you had to fill in the blank, what would it be? Your only… [child, career, dream, etc.]. Would you be willing to surrender even that if, or when, God asks?

The thing is, we are always sacrificing something. Time, rest, money, attention, freedom, etc. Some sacrifices are worth it; others aren’t. So, as you reflect on the question above also ponder, what sacrifices have you been making? Are they worth it?