Why Altars?
“The altar is a place where your life can be altered.” – Daniel Chua article (linked at the bottom)
“You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered. If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it.” – Exodus 20:24-25
Although we are not required to make sacrifices anymore since Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, altars can be symbolic of places Jesus has been faithful to us. When I am discouraged or untrusting, I look back on places where God has really shown up big in my life and I praise Him and remember that He was faithful then and it reminds me that He will be faithful again.
How to build an altar:
-Underline a key verse in your Bible and mark it with the date it was revealed to you
-Write a journal entry that you can go back and reread
-Take a picture of the moment
-Find a symbol that reminds you of His faithfulness (i.e. for me it has been “rainbow kisses” when I see rainbows, I am reminded of His promises)
-It could even be building a physical altar out of rocks when walking through the woods
The altar theme has been recurring in my life for several years, it was just on a silent retreat that I was able to unpack it and reflect on it.
When I did the arduous hike of Mt. Katahdin and was hiking down the mountain, the trail was marked by rock cairns every so often. They became the perfect pilgrimage altar image to me.
Altars are a place to sacrifice and surrender things – plans, ungodly mindsets, attitudes, etc. When we willingly bring them to Jesus, they are our concern no longer.
Most importantly, the altar is a place of worship and gratitude to express to Jesus for all He has done, is doing, and will do.
External articles:
§ “4 Altars in the Life of Abraham” https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/4-altars-in-the-life-of-abraham-daniel-chua-sermon-on-examples-of-faith-76039
§ “Altars in the Life of Abraham” http://www.preciousseed.org/article_detail.cfm?articleID=81
§ “Abraham’s Altars” http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume38/GOT038071.html
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