If we do not build an altar to meet with God, he cannot honour us with his fire.
For many followers of Jesus, we desire to have a relationship with him. We desire to know the power and experience the presences of God in our life.
As we follow Jesus we need to create a set time in our rhythm of life, where we sit sat at the altar to meet with God.
But why?
The simple reason is this:
We are nothing without the presence of God, and nothing is more important than experiencing the glory of God.
If we do not build the altar to meet with God, he cannot honour us with his fire (presence).
We want God to lead and speak in our life, but are we creating space to hear from him? Are we using the lens of scripture to view life circumstances? The building of the altar is a metaphor for creating space to worship and hear from God.
For so many today, we have surrendered to the idol of busyness or exhaustion. There is no margin (for God) in many people’s lives here in Canada and the western world. Many followers of Jesus desire to experience renewal, and the presences or power of God in their lives. However, they fail to build alters to meet with him to receive it.
The idea of, and image of an altar has been helpful in my journey with Jesus. I understand some may struggle with this image, but it is a place, a moment to meet with God. Yes, God is with me wherever I go. Yes, I can speak with him throughout the rhythms of life and we need to. We need to live out the teaching of Romans 12 with our life being laid out on the altar before Jesus.
However, I still believe in the need of altars. But, not in the sense of sin sacrifice for atonement – that is finished in Jesus Christ. What I am speaking of are moments of pause so that we intake the gospel. It is like in an engine piston. As it goes up it takes in oxygen and gas. Then it compress it. The altar moment is a time where we are taking the gospel in and letting the spirit compress it, then in the Spirits’ timing, he ignites us and power comes. From there we go and engage the world.
Jesus would often get up early or pull away from the disciples and crowds to seek God the Father. He reveals to us a pattern, a rhythm to follow in life.
We need to be careful of the idol of religion and not become legalistic. That is to say if I do this, then God has to burn the altar. To think that way makes this moment to be about you and not God. This is not about putting your quarter in, and God comes out.
This is about creating space to worship God, to be reminded about who he is and who I am. Remembering that nothing is of any use without the presence of God, and nothing is more important than experiencing the glory of God.
But if we do not build the altar to meet with God, he cannot honour us with his fire (presence).
If we want to see the power of God, we are going to need to build the altar, so he can honour us with his presence.