On the Altar, you surrender everything you have – which is not everything you would like to have – to receive everything you do not have yet – but is everything you want to have. Therefore, the sacrifice you offer on the Altar represents the life you no longer want. You refuse to continue living this way, so you surrender it to God.

The examples of faith show how this happens.

EVERYTHING Abraham had was a son, but he wanted to be the father of a great nation. So he surrendered his son (who represented the life he no longer wanted: to be the father of just one person) to be the father of a great nation (the life he wanted to have).

EVERYTHING Gideon had was a bull, but he wanted to see the wonders of God. So he gave the bull (which represented the life he no longer wanted: only have one bull for food) to receive wonderful abundance and peace (the life he wanted to have).

EVERYTHING the poor widow had was two coins, but she wanted an abundant life. So she gave the two coins (representing the life she no longer wanted: having only two mites) to receive an abundance (the life she wanted).

This is why only those who are revolted sacrifice and surrender their life: they are the only ones who will turn away from the life they’re living in the moment. Like Abraham, Gideon and the poor widow, they do not settle for what brings them comfort. Instead, they pursue what leaves an impression.

But those who do not sacrifice or surrender, deep down, want to continue living the same life. They don’t mind spending the rest of their days with the same limitations, the same problems, the same situations, the same conditions… It’s a matter of logic: if the sacrifice represents the life you no longer want, and you don’t sacrifice, you’re saying you’re satisfied with the life you have. And if you are satisfied with your life, how and why would it change?

For those who are revolted: what is the ‘everything’ you have today, but you don’t want it to be your ‘everything’ any longer? Sacrifice it on the Altar.