By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Hebrews 11:17-19
A retired psychiatrist friend of mine wrote an article directed toward his deceased father asking the question, “Are you proud of me?” His father died when he was only nine years old and he often mentions the loss of his dad. He is still searching for reassurance that his life matters – that he is worthy and valued.
As a child, I understand the need to be valued. As a parent, I know the value I place in my own love for each of my kids. If you’re a parent, think of the dreams you have for your own children. Relationship, education, natural abilities…what kind of person will my child be? Will he or she honor God with their life?
But can we love our kids too much? Can our kids take God’s place in your heart?”
Isaac was a child of promise to Abraham and Sarah. He could have easily become the center of his elderly parent’s life. The passage above reminds us of Abraham’s supreme commitment to God above every human relationship.
In The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer wrote about Abraham’s challenge with Isaac since the boy “represented everything sacred to his father’s heart: the promises of God, the covenants, the hopes of the years and the long messianic dream. As he watched him grow from babyhood to young manhood the heart of the old man was knit closer and closer with the life of his son, till at last the relationship bordered upon the perilous. It was then that God stepped in to save both father and son from the consequences of an uncleansed love.”
Is there a relationship that is potentially an “uncleansed love” as described by Tozer? Here’s a final thought on the matter:
You can read “The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing” by clicking here.
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