Talk Tuesday-The Altar of Your Heart: Abraham's Sacrifice

Who or what do you worship? What is the most important thing to you in your life? Is it your health and strength, your wealth, your children, your spouse, yourself? What god is on the altar of your heart? Who or what is your first love? The account of Abraham's Sacrifice reveals the faithfulness of GOD and the blessings of obedience. It is also a reflection of the human heart whose altar should be raised solely to GOD.

Abraham and Sarah were both childless and old. Yet the LORD promised them a son would be born to them in their old age. "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him-whom Sarah born to him-Isaac." Genesis 21:1-3

The Bible tells us that Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born. This was the child of promise, whom Abraham and Sarah had wanted their whole lives. Imagine the pride, joy and great love his parents felt for him! This was the fruit of their loins, the offspring of their union.

"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' Then He said, 'Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him." Genesis 22:1-3

As they approach the altar Isaac asks his father where their offering is, to which his reply is that GOD Himself will provide. Then Abraham arranges the altar, lays Isaac out upon it, ready to obey the LORD's instruction concerning the child.

"And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!' So he said, 'Here I am.' And He said, 'Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Genesis 22:10-12

God's request of Abraham showed Abraham what was on the altar of his own heart. Abraham's act of obedience said many things about who he believed GOD to be. He knew GOD to be the Almighty Creator, the GOD of the universe, to whom all things were possible and there were no limits. Abraham TRUSTED God, Abraham OBEYED God. Abraham put God FIRST, holding no idols, not even his only son, because his love for God trumped his love for Isaac. WOW. I think about that and I am truly amazed. I wonder, can we honestly say that the altar of our hearts completely belong to God? Is He truly our first love? Are we willing to obey Him, even to the point of intense personal sacrifice? Abraham's sacrifice and obedience resulted in unimaginable blessings:

"Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said: 'By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore: and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.'" Genesis 22:15-18

Obedience brings blessings. How has this account impacted you? What is the importance of putting GOD first and worshiping Him alone? What personal revelation did you have while reading this? Click on the comments link below to share your insights with us here at BGO.

Talk Tuesday-When An Idol Crumbles

The idols we identify in our own lives reveal truths about ourselves that are often hard to swallow. Sometimes we project our unaccomplished hopes and dreams onto our children, making their life's success an idol in our hearts. Sometimes we look to a relationship to fill a void within us that only GOD can fill. Sometimes we allow our careers or material possessions to define who we are and what direction our lives should take. We can also put people on pedestals, holding them above GOD in our hearts, expecting perfection from them and loving them too much. Is there any such thing as loving too much?

A passage of scripture that has often been misunderstood is Luke 14:26: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-such cannot be my disciple."

What is Jesus really saying here? Is he actually asking us to 'hate' the things we value and love the most? Herein lies the answer. He is asking us to not value those things 'the most'. They must not be idols but must be relegated to their proper place in our hearts. The word 'hate' in the context of Luke 14:26 comes from the Greek word μισέω -miseō, mis-eh'-o; from a prim. misos (hatred); to detest (espec. to persecute); by extns. to love less:-hate (-ful) (Strong, James. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hendrickson Publishers; Peabody, MA)

Jesus is not asking us to break the Ten Commandments, but he is teaching how to observe them. You see, we MUST PUT GOD FIRST IN ALL THINGS. The first three commandments instruct us to hold no idol above God, to revere His holy Name and to worship Him alone. The fifth commandment instructs us to honour our parents. We cannot honour our parents, love others and be honourable in relationships if we do not love GOD FIRST, FOREMOST and ABOVE ALL ELSE. We must love all these other things 'less' in comparison to how we love GOD.

Our idols will inevitably crumble at the altar of our worship. At some point in time a relationship will disappoint, a job will disappear, material wealth will dissipate and the thing we pay homage to will leave us feeling empty. When this happens, remember to redirect your attention towards the truth of God's Word. That TRUTH is the mirror whose reflection will show us what is inside our hearts. That TRUTH will help us to reorder our priorities. Then as we repent and put GOD first, all other things will fall into their rightful place in our hearts. We will be able to fulfill the call of GOD upon our lives, loving and cherishing those things in the way there were intended to be. Remember Jesus' words:

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Please share your thoughts and ideas with us on this week's Talk Tuesday Topic. We here at BGO look forward to hearing from you. Remember, the crown is not given to the swift, but to those who persevere and FINISH! Let us spur each other on to the prize of our salvation.