The Power Of Surrender – David ShearmanSample

Building an Altar

Noah, Abraham, and Moses all built altars to God. Through the Old Testament, godly people in many generations did the same thing. Significantly, Samuel the prophet built an altar “where his house was.” All of this Old Testament history points forward towards the great and final altar – the cross, where Jesus took our place.

How should we reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice, and what does it mean for us to “build an altar” today?

The cross speaks of God’s outpoured love as Jesus lays down His life for us. We can rightly says that until we are in Christ, we are lost, and until Christ is in us, we are limited. At the heart of the Gospel is a dying man who died for each one of us. The Bible summarizes it by saying, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Building an altar in our lives today means establishing a place, a purpose, and a process to our worship. It means recognizing that our true identity is uncovered when we die to self and allow Christ to live in and through us.

Another picture from the Old Testament is the fact that no one was allowed to use “cut” stones in the construction of an altar. In other words, it signified the laying down of self-effort. For us, it means not attempting to serve God in our own strength, using human effort alone, but rather living a life of surrendered rights, where Jesus is truly Lord of all. I find it interesting to note that, especially in the life of Abraham, frequently when God is about to give us more, He often calls for sacrifice.

Are you ready to receive the “more” that God has for you?

Are you willing to come to Him and surrender – to offer your life to Jesus and put an end to self-effort?

In return you will receive blessing and life in abundance. I pray that you will have an altar to the Lord in your “house” today.