Abraham's faithfulness

I am astounded sometimes at how the Holy Spirit opens my eyes to Scripture in new ways according to where I am in life. I was reading the part of Genesis last night when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. Not only is this a big ask in itself because it's his son, but he and his wife Sarah have been waiting and waiting on God to bless them with a child. They are old, and they've finally had a son, and God asks him to sacrifice him. And he does! Well, until God stops him and gives him a goat as a replacement.

I've always read this story in the same way - comparing it with Jesus' death on the cross as a sacrifice for us instead of suffering the consequences of our sin. But last night I read in a whole new light. Isaac was Abraham's most treasured thing on earth. He had waited for him for so long, and God had promised that he would bless him with thousands upon thousands of descendants. It didn't seem to make any sense that God would ask him to sacrifice that part of his life that seemed to be filled with so much promise. If I am to identify that thing in my life - the thing that I love so dearly, and even (at times) put above God - it would be marriage and the hope of having a family. These things in and of themselves are good things, but would I be willing to sacrifice them as a 'burnt offering' for God? If he asked me to sacrifice them, would I? Because this is a good indicator of whether or not God is indeed sitting on the throne of my heart. Jesus said we have to be willing to leave our father and mother, our family, our home - everything to follow him. He may not necessarily ask this of me, but am I willing to do so? Or are these things that I won't sacrifice to Him?