“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” (Hebrews 11:17)
My husband and I set off for a much-needed two-day getaway in Toronto. The sun smiled warmly on the lush greenery as we passed scene after scene of beautiful landscape along the highway. I felt a deep appreciation for God’s awesome creation.
But even the splendor of the day didn’t distract me from the underlying anxiety gnawing inside me. We had left our children with a trusted family friend but the questions kept coming anyway. Were the children OK? Would they miss us too much? Would our absence have any long-term negative effects? The questions and ideas got from unreasonable to ridiculous, but I couldn’t seem to shake them no matter how I tried.
I knew that the babysitter would adequately care for them. The neighborhood was relatively safe. Besides, we had gathered and prayed before leaving. I tried to turn my thoughts off, but my mind kept right on going.
The Holy Spirit gently interrupted my mental monologue and brought me a picture of faithful Abraham and how he surrendered his son, Isaac, to God. So complete was the surrender that Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, believing that God would raise him from the dead. He trusted God that much. I knew then what I should do. I released my children to His care.
The worry evaporated like a mist. I settled back in my seat and enjoyed the rest of my trip to Toronto, secure in the knowledge that my children belong to God. My husband and I could enjoy a weekend with no undue concerns.
Surrendering our children to God can be a huge challenge. But it really gets down to how much we trust God. Abraham trusted God completely and received a blessing as a result. We, too, can be free of anxiety as we release our children to the care of our Father. We can trust that much.
We are truly free when we totally surrender to God
© 2011 Phillippa Brown
