Today's reading is from Genesis 11:1-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12 and Proverbs 1:25-28
In Genesis this morning we are introduced to Abram, Sarai and Lot. God has called Abram from the land his father journeyed to, the city of Haran. God has called Abram to leave all that he has known, his family and friends to travel to a place he has never been - the land of Canaan. There is nothing said of his family's relationship with God, but Abram must have known and worshiped Him, for he was obedient to His call.
At 75 years old Abram, his wife and his nephew, Lot headed out for...'God only knows.' They packed up all that they owned, loaded the camels and waived goodbye to their relatives and headed west. They wandered from place to place until the reached a spot between Bethel and Ai. Here Abram built an altar to the Lord. In Genesis 12:8 it says; 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. This is the first one the Bible records that Abram built. But he must have seen his father build one before or been instructed on why and how to build one by someone, right? The Bible doesn't say. It only says that he built the altar, gave a sacrifice and called on God.
As we travel through the Bible this year, we will see the building of altars in many places in the Old Testament. Altars are also spoken of in the New Testament. In our Matthew passage, verse 23 it says; "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift ..." All through th Bible altars are places where people have given gifts and vows to God.
If you have Jesus living in you heart, you have an altar where you can offer up gifts and make vows to Jesus, too. It is built in your heart and you can make your offerings to Him any time. I believe this for the temple in Jerusalem held the altar to God once it was built. and now Paul has written in 1 Corinthians 6:19a; Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? So, if our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, I feel that we can be sure there is an altar to God held within our heart of hearts, for it is the new Holy of Holies.
Think on this as you go through your day and sing praise unto Jesus. Psalm 5:1-3 is one of my favorites and is part of our reading today; Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Until next time!
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