The absolute claim of God upon us and our children is greatly impressed on my mind from this account. Abraham’s child is shown not to belong to him but to God and it would appear that the same is the case for all parents. My children are not truly mine but God’s. Therefore he, having an absolute claim upon them, can do, or have me to do, with them as he wishes.
Generally this is also the case with all things. God has absolute claim upon all things he has created, including my children and me. If God should desire to consume the galaxies, darken the sun, thrown down the stars, flood the earth, or take my life, or the life of my loved ones, I can make no objections, for his claim on all things is absolute, he being the almighty Creator.
Yet while the claim of God is absolute I do not despair because the compassion of God is absolute as well. That is, while God is all-powerful and just and lays claim on our lives and existence, yet He is not wicked or cruel or unfairly demanding but rather compassionate and merciful. He lays claim to us yet ‘sees to it’ that his claims are met by his own power.
Thus, as he demanded much of Abraham, he also supplied Himself what he demanded. He demands sacrifice, yet he supplies the sacrifice by his own means. Hence the gospel is set forth not only in the picture of Isaac as an only beloved son to be slain pointing to Christ, the Son of God, but also in the words of Augustine, ‘Command what you will, and grant what you command.’
Therefore, we tremble under God’s claims, for they are absolute, and rejoice in his compassion for it is equally great.
Tides and Turning 