A few months ago, God said I needed to release something very important to me, and I did. Except I kept chasing after it.

This thing had chains around my heart.

It was destroying me.

I had made it into an idol.

Although it was so very precious to me, I wasn’t trusting God with it, so in his infinite mercy, he asked me to sacrifice it. Not just release it or turn away from it, but to literally burn it. The freedom I received in laying it down, releasing it and burning it so that I could no longer chase after it gave me breath. It gave me life.

When we sacrifice what is precious and valuable to us, we are planting our flag firmly in the soil trusting that Yahweh will provide for us here in this place.

In one of the most terrifying chapters of the Bible, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. God was asking Abraham, do you love me more than your son? Is your son an idol to you? Abraham willingly led his son to the altar and God provided the replacement goat. Abraham named the place “the Lord will provide.”

The Israelites were asked to sacrifice their livestock in massive quantities. Did you know that during Passover in 70AD they slaughtered nearly a quarter million lambs? I can’t help but imagine 40 years earlier, the drains in the streets of Jerusalem being filled with blood as the ultimate Lamb of God was hanging on the cross. Oh the imagery. The Israelites had to trust that God would provide for their needs as they sacrificed the most valuable of their livelihood.

We are also asked to lay down, not literally kill, our desires and what brings us the greatest joy.

1. Is God first place in your life? Or does something else take His place?

2. Do you trust Him with what is most precious to you?

Because we are so precious to HIM, He sacrificed His most precious Son for us, so that our relationship with Him would be untainted. This was the cost. Do you trust God that He will provide enough? Do you trust that he will give what you need? That trust frees you to release your most precious things and relationships to Him. He gives what you need.