God is a Provider. He is not a withholder. The story of Abraham and Isaac was not about God requiring the sacrifice of Isaac and withholding from Abraham if He didn't get it. It was about God providing the sacrifice in place of Isaac. It wasn't about requiring Abraham's only son. I was about providing His own in our place.

If we see Him as a God who withholds, then we will withhold from Him. If we see Him as a King who makes demands, then we will make demands of Him. If we see Him as a God who grades us, then we will see Him as a teacher who fails us when we don’t do well. If we see Him as a Santa Clause God then we will ask Him for trinkets to make us comfortable when He wants to give us nations. Seeing Him as Provider keeps our eyes on the vision, expands our view of what is possible, and withholds nothing from Him because He first withholds nothing from us.