This may be a bit tough for some of us. It is not easy to put someone we love on the altar. I realize that those of us being asked this question, who have something that is pressing us deeply are in a different position, than those who can not necessarily relate at this moment. However, there are times when a question may not feel relatable today, but tomorrow might be a different story. If that is you, then I suggest you just tuck it away.
Today I related to a friend the liturgical baptism of my first born daughter, and afterwards I was once again struck by the impact that it made on me personally. In the Russian Orthodox faith the baptism happens at 40 days old. Seeing my newborn have that amount of water poured over her was somewhat stressful, and I can tell you I was relieved when Father Igor handed her safely back into my embrace. What occurred next was not what I was ready for, but it is this that has impacted me throughout the last 37 years. I was asked to put this baby girl on the floor at the foot of the altar, and only after my husband and I came into agreement with what Father Igor prayed next was I then told to go get her.
We were told that she belonged to God, and that she was merely on loan to us. Our duty as parents was to care for her, and to teach her about her heavenly Father. It was symbolic and so powerful. What was impressed upon us was that although she belonged to God, we had a critical role in leading her in the right path to Him. It was that day that confirmed what I felt from the moment I knew there was a life within my womb. This child was a gift to be cherished and loved.
All these years later I am still impacted by the symbolism of this baptism. Many years ago this grown daughter and her sister made their own personal profession of faith and were baptized again as young adults.
I know that I will always feel that, like Abraham who was asked to put Issac on the altar, I have a symbolic stone of remembrance. Through the early years of childhood, teenagers, and young adults, I was not always conscious of those stones of remembrance, as I was parenting, discipling, and loving. However, when I see my six grandchildren running around, I am once again reminded of the sanctity of life and our responsibility to guard and protect what is in our care.
When our youngest daughter was at university in England and I was not able to reach her by phone one night, I was afraid. I asked the Lord for comfort, which He gave me, but I will never forget what I felt the Spirit of God told me. He said that this daughter belongs to Me, I am watching over her, now you go to sleep. The next morning when I woke up I had a text from our daughter. She had gone to sleep early and had turned her phone off.
Most of us agree that life is more precious than anything that this world has to offer, and as believers we truly understand what has been done for us by Jesus. It is something that we must never forget!
There are many ways to look at this question, but only you know if you are being asked to put someone on the altar and what that means to you personally. It may be symbolic like I shared, or very real as you are being asked to give up someone you hold very dear. I pray that wherever you are today that you will know that your Father in heaven is right beside you.
John 3:16 CSB “For God loved the world in this way. He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”