Karl Rabeder is an Austrian millionaire, but not for much longer. He’s giving away his entire fortune, more than 3 million pounds. His 3,455-square-foot villa overlooking the Alps, his six gliders, his expensive Audi A8, his country estate—all will be sold. As Rabeder told The Daily Telegraph, “My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing.” The money will fund his microcredit charity that will serve underdeveloped countries. Rabeder said he kept hearing these words: “Stop what you are doing—all this luxury and consumerism—and start your real life.” So that’s what he’s doing.
Abraham faced a moment where he had to decide if he would let go of all he held dear. In one of the Old Testament’s more disturbing stories, God asked Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac to Moriah and “sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains” (Genesis 22:2).
Bewildered, Abraham must have wondered why God would make such a horrific request. Isaac was not only his son but also the fulfillment of God’s promise—the promise to finally bring the joy of a child to Abraham and Sarah and the promise to build a great nation on the earth from Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 18:18-19).
And yet, God asked Abraham to give up his faith in these promises. To surrender—not his own life—but the life of the boy he loved. How will we respond when God asks us to give up everything, even the things He’s given us?
Abraham bound Isaac and laid him on the altar. He raised his knife, prepared to obey God. Mercifully, the angel of the Lord bellowed, “Don’t lay a hand on the boy! . . . for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son” (Genesis 22:12).
God wanted Abraham to be willing to release absolutely everything to Him. Will we?
More:
Read Luke 18:18-29. What did Jesus ask the young man to give up? What was the significance of this specific challenge to this particular man?
Next:
What do you find most difficult to surrender to God? What does that thing represent, and why do you cling to it so tightly?
jstabel on January 23, 2011 at 4:37 am
If its not painful and dear to us-we can let it go but when its ‘very’ dear to us,we start asking questions like,’GOD IS MERCIFUL AND LOVING,HE WISHES THAT I PROSPER SO WHY WOULD HE DEMAND SOMETHING LIKE THIS?-AM SURE ITS NOT GOD THAT IS TALKING TO ME…IF I LET GO,HOW WILL I SURVIVE?…IF I LEAVE MY COMFORT ZONE HOW WOULD I COPE?…The issue is He can not tempt us with evil and He knows whats best for us and He is faithful to His word-that should give us the needed confidence at all times.
winn collier on January 23, 2011 at 8:52 am
I’ve been thinking lately that God is inviting me to let go of myself, to let go of the sense that I can manage and control anything.
regina franklin on January 23, 2011 at 9:43 am
Powerful word, Winn. Asking the Lord that I too would be willing to release ALL things into His care and management.
agentleanswer on January 23, 2011 at 2:10 pm
So thought provoking, Winn. I was just writing today on our ministry site about the faith of Pastor Selchun of Nigeria who had his right hand severed for his faith in Christ. The accounts are as the hand fell to the ground his family watched as he lifted his left hand and began to sing
“He is Lord, He is Lord
He is risen from the dead, and He is Lord.
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord.”
As I was reading (inspired to do so by another Christian friend and writer Torry Martin) this account…it dawned on me how often I have hesitated to even figuratively raise a hand in service or worship for fear of having it “cut off”…in other words…what did I fear I would lose?
Thanks for the encouraging post.
Kathy L.
A Gentle Answer Ministries
daisymarygoldr on January 23, 2011 at 10:42 pm
To let it all go is easier said than done. It requires faith to be followed up by actions (James 2:22). All of a sudden we cannot give up everything. For father Abraham, it took 100+ years of intimate walk with God to learn about His faithfulness and finally face the ultimate test of his faith.
And so, we—may assume that Abraham must have been bewildered to wonder why God would make such a horrific request. But scripture clearly states that Abraham got up early the next morning and was ready to sacrifice his only son. He reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again (Heb 11: 17, 19).
Abraham did not dilly-dally with doubts or spend a whole sleepless night arguing with God to ask Him why? Instead he confidently told his servants, “we will come right back” and to his son he said “God will provide a sheep”.
Having said that, I must admit that some years ago it was so difficult for me to let go of my daughter because she is my future and hope for the fulfillment of all my dreams. As a 2-yr old, when she was fighting between life and death, I had prayed and asked God to take my life and spare hers.
Today however, by God’s grace I am willing to let go of anything God wants me to give up because I “know” He will give it back to me. God will never make unreasonable demands for us to give up what we hold dear without first proving His own faithfulness to us.
loananna on January 24, 2011 at 10:33 am
You are such an inspiration! Thank you for truly putting things in perspective…We have to “know” and believe in our Lord and what he can do…He just wants us to love him and Trust him to know what is best, not for us to figure it out. Let’s all raise our hands and sing in praise for our Wonderful Creator and Lord!!!
plumbape on January 24, 2011 at 11:55 am
DMG an inspiration indeed…!
I remember you spoke once about wanting to be like Mother Theresa,
I said you ARE Mother Theresa to a knucklehead like me….!!
praying that the Lord will bless his servant with her new son and make him like Paul of Tarsus ;^)
Michael
daisymarygoldr on January 24, 2011 at 7:29 pm
loananna, you are absolutely right! He just wants us to love and Trust Him.
Michael, I “know’ you are no knucklehead and I am not Mother Teresa 🙂
Thank you for praying for my son! Please keep my daughter also in your prayers. The Lord did give her back to us and it increased my faith to realize that everything I am and have belongs to Him. There is no need for Him to ask me for anything—He has every right to take and use everything, as and when He wants to.
God is good and faithful. He truly deserves all our praise and honor.
tcarr89 on September 15, 2011 at 9:35 pm
the NEXT> box was intriguing, and definitely thought-provoking. Right now God is pretty much asking me to make a move that will cause me to lose literally everything I’ve ever known and go to a country across the globe. So the thing He’s asking me to give up is… me, I guess.
winn collier on September 15, 2011 at 9:41 pm
losing ourselves to find ourselves. dying to live. strange words, aren’t they? but hopeful ones.