Build An Altar To The LORD
So Abram went, as the LORD had told him . . . they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. Genesis 12:4-9
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. Genesis 12:4-9
God had called Abram out of an idolatrous environment to live amidst extremely idolatrous people. Abram was aware that he was God's instrument through which the whole earth was to be blessed. He could not afford to be distracted by the environment. He had to keep his spiritual focus. Abram did this by continually building altars to God. Altars represent our worship to God. They represent a place of private communion with our heavenly Father. Building the altar was a reminder to Abram that God was his only source of hope. Without continually calling on God, he could not fulfill the call God had placed on his life. Building an altar to God was a priority in his life.
It is interesting that before Elijah prayed for the rains to fall after the drought, he called the people together "and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down."
The state of our altar reflects the state of our worship and our relationship to God. It is great to respond to altar calls during services in church. But it is equally crucial, and probably even more so, to ensure that we respond to the private altar calls that the Holy Spirit makes to us privately from time to time. Whenever we sense a distinct presence of the Lord; whenever we receive favor that is unquestionably divine; whenever we know without a shadow of a doubt that God has protected, provided or intervened on our behalf, we must pause and "build an altar" and worship.
The journey of our relationship with God should be filled with many "altar-building moments."
May your journey be marked with many altars to God.
It is interesting that before Elijah prayed for the rains to fall after the drought, he called the people together "and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down."
The state of our altar reflects the state of our worship and our relationship to God. It is great to respond to altar calls during services in church. But it is equally crucial, and probably even more so, to ensure that we respond to the private altar calls that the Holy Spirit makes to us privately from time to time. Whenever we sense a distinct presence of the Lord; whenever we receive favor that is unquestionably divine; whenever we know without a shadow of a doubt that God has protected, provided or intervened on our behalf, we must pause and "build an altar" and worship.
The journey of our relationship with God should be filled with many "altar-building moments."
May your journey be marked with many altars to God.
Prayer: Father, I thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed upon my life. I ask that as I journey with you I will be particularly cognizant of those unique altar-building moments.
Unique moments of worship and renewal. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Unique moments of worship and renewal. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.