This week’s lesson can be viewed as a contrast of two families and their approach to sacrifice.
Lot and his family were in a situation where they needed to sacrifice their lifestyle in Sodom and Gomorrah. They were given heavenly help with warnings and escaping danger. But one member of the family didn’t leave with full purpose of heart. Looking back and longing cost her everything.
In contrast, Abraham was asked to give up what he cherished most. In his full trust of God, and willingness to sacrifice all, with full intent, he was given everything.
God wasn’t playing a cruel game with either. Each was blessed with an opportunity to see what mattered most. They were given choices, and their heart’s true desires prevailed.
Family life requires sacrifice.
It can bring great joy but it also requires aligning our hearts there through sacrifice.
In a world that promotes self-care, self-everything, sacrificing for others is sometimes viewed as unintelligent, un-actualized, unnecessary. But it’s not. It’s necessary, it strengthens us, it proves us.
In Jacob 4:5 we read, “Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.”
In our efforts to flee the wickedness of the world, God will “lay hold upon our hands” to warn, protect, and direct. What we bring is full purpose of heart with desires trained through sacrifice.
Sacrifice which brings the blessings of heaven.
“Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you” (D&C 62:3).