Today's blog was inspired by a song I was listening to This Alter by Psalmist Raine. It made me think that we should all consider ourselves an alter before God. The more I thought about it, the more I fell in love with this metaphor. And I think this is something that we all can apply to our lives.
I've listened to this song numerous times, it's one of my favorites. But as I listened to it yesterday, it took my mind to a different place. I visualized myself as an alter, not the type of alter in front of the church. But the type of alter that was built in biblical times. Built of rocks and stones in preparation to give a sacrifice to the Lord.
In my mind, I could see my body as this alter. An alter with my knees bent on the floor, head hung low, with my hands raised and my arms held high. In full worship and praise to the Lord. Tears steaming down my face as I ask God to accept my sacrifice. My sacrifice is my body, my life, my entire being. It is all that I have. I am willing to live my life as a living sacrifice to do His will. I am giving myself to Him, to do with as He wishes.
But first I ask God to send His Holy Spirit fire to consume me. To burn out all the desires of my flesh. To purify me so that I may become acceptable. To make my unclean offering suitable and presentable in His sight. Slaughtering my old self so that the new me can live. This is all I want of the Lord, to be used by Him.
Surrendering to God in this way is the start of a relationship with Him.
Here I am Lord, use me...
Romans 12:1 1I 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.
Genesis 22:9 9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
2 Samuel 24:25 25And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
Hebrews 13:15 15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:16 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.