Dreams on the Altar

Abraham was instructed by God to lay his son Isaac on the altar and sacrifice him. Isaac, being Abraham's only son, can metaphorically be described as Abraham's future.

 

One of the things that defined Abraham was the promise that he would become the father of many nations and that through his seed Messiah would come. What an incredible promise and a huge honor for Abraham! Without this--which is to say, without Isaac--Abraham did not have this great future.

 

Sacrificing Isaac was not just giving up a son, but it was also giving up the future that Abraham greatly desired and looked forward to. All his hopes, desires, and dreams rested in Isaac... and God asked him to give it up.

 

The Isaac in our lives can be many things: our personal plans for our life, dreams we wish to fulfill, hopes and desires of money or status or personal achievement. We all want things in life and from life.

 

But what if God asks us to take those hopes and dreams of ours and lay them on the altar? What if God requires us to let go of those things? Would we do it?

 

As we think about our answer, we must remember the words of Jesus: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Mark 16:25).

 

In the same way God allowed Abraham to keep Isaac, God may indeed let us keep our dreams. However, before and if we receive those dreams back from God, we must lay it on the altar and be willing to 100% give them up with no guarantee of getting them back. Abraham had no guarantee from God that he would get Isaac back.

 

We sing "I Surrender All to You," and it is indeed a beautiful song with powerful meaning behind it. In practice though, do we mean it? On a personal note: Do I mean it?

 

There are things in my life that I want so badly it seems I can almost physically see and touch them. I think of my future and see things I desire and other things I want to achieve and building my career and... well, the list goes on.

 

But when I sing "I surrender all to you," am I holding on to my personal dreams and desires? Do I desire God to move in my life up to a certain point where I can still chase my dreams? Am I willing to give up some things in my life but definitely not this one thing over here I really really want?

 

Or do I surrender all? Am I willing to put my dreams on the altar?