The Altar will Alter

Isaac thought they were going to spend some quality time together. A trip with Dad. It was he and his father hiking up to the top of Mount Moriah. Isaac goes over the checklist. “Charcoal…check, wood…check, lighter fluid…check, knife…check…offering…dad, where’s the offering?” Abe tells him that the Lord will provide. That’s good enough for Isaac, as he continues excitingly packing his backpack.

So, there’s Abraham hiking up Mount Moriah with his son Isaac. His long awaited son, Isaac. Up they climb…all the way to the top. The view must have been fantastic. Isaac loved the quality time he was spending with his elderly father. As they arrived, Isaac again asks about the animal for the offering. Like all great literature, here’s where the plot thickens…Isaac was the offering.

He was Abraham’s hope. He was his joy. He was his long-awaited promise fulfilled from the Lord. The Lord told Abraham to lay his own son on the altar for sacrifice. The Bible does not tell us the internal struggle he must have been feeling…the tears hidden from his son, or if seen, the tears blamed on allergies. We were told that he was faithful.

So, he binds up his son and lays him on the altar. What did that conversation sound like? He was only seconds away from slaying his son and setting him ablaze, watching Isaac, his hope, his joy and his promise fulfilled go up in flames as a sacrifice to the Lord. Internalize what was going on here. Take it off of your gold-lined pages and bring yourself to that mountaintop. Believing the Lord is sovereign; Abe raises his knife…Isaac winces and closes his eyes.

You probably know how the story ends, but in case you haven’t seen the movie, an angel appears and stops Abe and provides a ram for sacrifice instead.

After hearing this story with fresh circumstances, my wife Suzi was beside herself. It took her awhile to explain her tears. She said, “Bart, you are my Isaac. You are my hope, my joy. Bart, you are my promise from the Lord. I see that I have to lay you on the altar.”

Are you kidding me? What amazing insight from the Holy Spirit. I cried. She’s right. Her faith is beautiful and straight from the Lord. I love her deeply.

So, as I stand at this crossroad in my life, I willfully crawl up on the altar…believing that my life is the Lord’s anyway. Your life and mine…it’s only by the grace of God that we take our next breath.

Each day we make a decision. We climb up or off of the altar. Up on the altar shows dependence and trust in our Father. Off of the altar is a sign of your ability to make it on your own…without the help of your Creator.

As you crawl out of bed tomorrow, crawl up on the altar. It’s a great place to be. Your perspective will change. Live today as though it were your last…and by the grace of God there will be a tomorrow.