Where do you meet with God every morning? I have been meeting Him, with His Word in my lap, with a bowl of cheerios and my mug of instant cappuccino on my desk in front of the computer. I talk to God through a journal first, then go to His Word and just listen to Him speak to my heart, mind and soul. This is my altar where I “lay it all down”. I pray for you, our family, needs, and praise Him for all. For me, my day cannot begin without meeting Him there.
God designed an altar for the Tabernacle which specific directions:
“Make a small altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. It must be eighteen inches square and three feet high, with horns at the corners carved from the same piece of wood as the altar. Overlay the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and run a gold molding around the entire altar. Beneath the molding, on opposite sides of the altar, attach two gold rings to support the carrying poles. The poles are to be made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. Place the incense altar just outside the inner curtain, opposite the Ark’s cover–the place of atonement–that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. I will meet you there.” Exodus 30, NLT
God met the people at the place of Promise through His Covenant, His agreement to always be with them. (“So they will know I am the LORD, their God”) He met them at a place of atonement where sins could be dealt with and be forgiven through sacrifice of an animal. Most importantly, is “I will meet you there”, says God to His People.
Because of the perfect, once and for all, sacrifice of our Savior, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, we can come boldly up to God and enter the throne room of prayer. Our “altar” is whatever we set aside for the purpose of meeting God on His terms. What does God require? That we “do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NLT). He wants a relationship with us! He loves us!
Because of Jesus, our Redeemer, our Advocate, we can come simply before Him..with His Word in our laps, praise on our lips, repentance in our hearts and hear what He has to say for THIS day.
Yes, LORD God of all, give us THIS day our daily manna.
Is your all on the altar? Reminds of a sweet hymn, written in 1900 by Elisha Hoffman which will be on my mind all day…
You have longed for sweet peace,
And for faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.
Refrain:
Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.
Would you walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
And have peace and contentment alway?
You must do His sweet will,
To be free from all ill,
On the altar your all you must lay.
Oh, we never can know
What the Lord will bestow
Of the blessings for which we have prayed,
Till our body and soul
He doth fully control,
And our all on the altar is laid.
Who can tell all the love
He will send from above,
And how happy our hearts will be made;
Of the fellowship sweet
We shall share at His feet,
When our all on the altar is laid.
Dear Heavenly Father, THANK YOU for meeting us where we are with all that we have. Lord, I offer my life to you…
In Jesus Name, Amen
