Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” – Genesis 22:2, NIV
Devotional About Giving – Day 3
Abraham had spent years, hoping and praying for his son. Despite all of his wealth and his wisdom, a child was still his deepest desire. When Abraham was very old, God granted his request. A son was born, and Abraham called him Isaac.
How Abraham and his wife, Sarah, doted on the boy! After years of infertility, he was their reminder that God had heard their anguish.
Years passed, and one day, God called out to Abraham. He told the wandering nomad to take his beloved son and sacrifice him as an offering.
Abraham must have trembled at the request. His chest went tight, and he probably thought, “If only God had asked for me! I am old, and I have lived a good life. But Isaac, my beloved, is only a boy.”
Despite the pain, Abraham gathered his things and set out on a journey with the child. They arrived at a mountain, and just as Abraham was about to sacrifice the son he loved so much, God stopped him. “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!”
Abraham offered God his only son. He was willing to let go of what he’d spent decades in hoping. He got his dream, and when the moment came, he was ready to give it all back to God.
It’s easy to give to God what means little to you. When the gift requires sacrificing–giving up the vacation you dreamed of, going to a different college, or moving to a new city–it’s hard to give. But a gift that requires a sacrifice is beautiful and precious to your Heavenly Father.
God, I give it all to You—my time, my talents, my job, [your sacrifice]. All of it is for You. Use it as You see fit to bring glory to Your name.
