Portable Altar

I grew up in a church that didn’t have an “altar” per se. If you were at some churches, you went to the front of the church and knelt at the altar for prayer.  The altar wasn’t necessarily a place for burnt offerings like in the Old Testament. The altar is a bit figurative the way we use the term now. It does imply a location, but it’s more of a place where a “religious experience” might take place. A wedding is sometimes referred to happening at “the altar”.

The people of Israel are at the foot of Mt. Sinai and the Lord is giving some specific instructions to them for their journey. He has given them practical instruction/law for getting along with each other and how to respect one another’s property. He gave instructions on building the tabernacle – a portable tent for worship. I came across the instructions for the portable alter this morning. Check this out….

 ⁶ For carrying the altar, make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. ⁷ Insert the poles through the rings on the two sides of the altar. ⁸ The altar must be hollow, made from planks. Build it just as you were shown on the mountain. (Exodus 27:6-8 NLT)

The altar was totally portable along with the tabernacle. The Lord wanted to be a central part of the journey with His people as they came to the land promised to them. They would set up the tabernacle in places where they stopped in order to worship. It was somewhat similar to a church startup who meets in a school and has to set up and tear down each week.

Today the “altar” is mostly figurative in my opinion. The altar is more of a place of surrender and subordination to the Lord. This is very much an act of worship.  One of the songs we sing at church is called “O Come To The Altar”. It is not so much a fixed location as a place where I recommit to following the Lord and expressing my trust and my gratitude to Him.

This is a great song to pray at the Altar to meet Him…. “O Come To The Altar” by Elevation Worship.

Are you hurting and broken within?
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?
Jesus is calling
Have you come to the end of yourself?
Do you thirst for a drink from the well?
Jesus is calling

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes
Come today, there’s no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy
From the ashes, a new life is born
Jesus is calling

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood!…

Oh what a Savior
Isn’t He wonderful?
Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen
Bow down before Him
For He is Lord of all
Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen

____________

Pressing On!

Dwayne