The Importance of The Altar
“How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.” (Psalms 84:1-4)
Today’s Morsel: I’m afraid that we are losing the understanding and the importance of the altar. In Old Testament times, the altar was for sacrifice, the giving of thanks, and for seeking after God. But today, what we call the altar, has many things placed on them. We preach from the place that we call the altar. We allow children to play on what we call the altar, instead of teaching them to pray at the altar. We have Christmas plays and events on what we call the altar. Coffee cups and children’s sippy cups are spilled on the altar. Are we losing reverence for the altar? Not be critical here. But we can’t lose the importance for nor the reverence of it. The Psalmist states: “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. How lovely, he said, are Thy tabernacles. Then he said that the sparrow had found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars. We can look at this from two points of view. The altar was not maintained, and the birds now occupied the altar, or the tabernacle was open air, and the birds built their houses and nest somewhere close by the altar. But I prefer the analogy of the psalmist as it draws our attention to the importance of the altar. The altar ought to be a place where we spend much time and raise our children at. Our children ought to be laid on the altar so that when they are old, they will dwell in His house. The altar must be a place where we come and seek God for direction, and to offer Him thanksgiving and praise for all that He’s done for us. Where is your house and nest placed? Do your children understand the importance of the altar? Do you reverence the altar? Lord, take us back to the Old Landmark!
Sing: In the presence of Jehovah, God Almighty, Prince of Peace. Troubles vanish, hearts are mended; in the presence of the King.
Thought For Today: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalms 16:11)
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