What do we cling to today that dilutes our relationship with Christ? What “Isaac” distracts us from focusing on him full-time. Is it the precious lamb we love so much that we’d never think of letting it go?  Could we bind the hands of this lamb that embrace us with the same faith that Abraham had when he placed his son Isaac on the altar?

Of all our worldly desires, possessions, relationships and passions, what is the one lamb we might consider letting go of and slaying in order to come closer to Christ? Could we offer it up to God from our heart with no remorse?

Think about it. Then go to work on it and you might be surprised at your reward, even if you only partially put it to death. Abraham took the risk in return for a massive reward.  So whatever your “Isaac” is that’s distracting you away from God, ask for the graces (and the knife) to help you slay it.  

My own most beloved “Isaac” some years back was an obsession with material wealth, and it took years to slay it little by little. But when my day of conquest finally came, I gained an amazing freedom from its shackles that I could never have achieved on my own. It took years of climbing the financial mountain before asking God to give me the courage to thrust the knife into my obsession.

God wants us to put Christ first in our hearts above all else and trust him just as Abraham did no matter what he asks us to sacrifice. He may not take the people and things we cherish most away from us, but he might test us now and then to strengthen our faith.

The story from Genesis should alert us to all the “Isaacs” that block our way toward becoming closer to Christ, and the incredible rewards that await us when we muster the courage and faith to thrust our knife in them.

Maybe now is a great time to start.

Reflections from the Book of Genesis 22:1-18