I do like the idea of setting aside a part of the house or even a spot in the back yard that is designed to be a spot where one can spend quiet time communing with God. While I do not think that it is necessary to actually build an altar, I am beginning to understand the importance of setting aside time or a place and dedicate it to our time with the Lord – and that in a sense, becomes our altar. It is easy to get bogged down in the daily routine of family responsibilities, the demands of work, and everything else that we often forget about God. It is easy in our busy lives to forget to take the time to worship God, to thank him for the things He has given us, and to seek his counsel. This morning, after the excitement that the morning brings, I decided to spend a few minutes to do just that – to thank God for the things he has given to me and to the gifts he has so graciously provided. As I finished my morning Bible reading, I began to think that as Christians, we all offer something to God on a continual basis and I began to wonder what that offering might be? I began thinking about this morning’s Scripture reading and the one passage that seemed to really stand out this morning: Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (I Corinthians 3:13-15).
What kind of offering are we making on our family altar? Are we offering things that God will find pleasing or are we guilty of offering things to God that are substandard or even show our hostility to God? Are we freely giving offerings that would be considered as a sweet savor, as Noah did after the flood [And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done (Genesis 8:20-21)] or do we offer things that God finds offensive, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu [And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD (Numbers 26:21)].
When we are faithful in our church attendance, in our personal prayer life, our dedication to living the life that God calls us to, and in our praising and thanking God, we are offering a sacrifice that is that sweet savor to God. Even the apostle Paul understood this as he encouraged the early Christians at the church in Rome, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1). We are offering an acceptable sacrifice and are showing our sincerity to God. When we offer bitterness and hostility towards others, we don’t make time to study our Bible or pray, when we willfully choose to sin rather than to resist, the distractions of the flesh and the world, or even become less than faithful in our church attendance and worship, we are offering things to God that He finds distasteful, strange, and foul. We are offering the wrong sacrifices and find ourselves deserving of His displeasure.