Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Nurturing Our Relationship With God

A look at Building Alters

I'm going through Genesis lately, and its taking me some time as its content are rich in history, and depth, in culture, God's promises, God's Timing, and the relationship between God and His people, namely Abraham.

Naturally, I am inclined to get stuck at Chapter 12 on the Call of Abraham as I face the calling that the Lord has given me; to follow him to the ends of the earth in obedience to a conviction of sharing Christ and his Word and Love with those who do not yet know Him. As I find myself in a time of delay that I truly believe is God Orchestrated, I press into the Lord. I have taken note of Abraham's nearness to God and how he calls on him for everything, and have stopped to wonder about this whole 'building an alter business' that Abraham is so inclined to do. As I am waiting for things to move forward with Spain, I find a million distractions some good some bad, and have a million questions for God. Is this a good time to build an Alter? What are they for?

I did some digging, and I will share with you what I have learned, and I am excited to get before the Lord and take care of some alter business as soon as I get through this blog with you. Maybe you will want to too? :)

Nurturing Our Relationship with God
A look on building Alters

Abraham calls on the Name of the Lord continually, and I found this to be significant in his faith and in mine. I had heard my loving mentor and great friend Mrs. B talk a lot about building alters and I could never entirely wrap my mind around it. Is it the same as quiet time with God? Is it more direct? When and why do we build an alter and what does that look like?

Why do We call on the Name of the Lord?
  • to get leadership from God on what to do
  • to find grace for a trial your going through
  • for fellowship or to enjoy the presence of the Lord
Alter and Communion with God 

There is much to be said about building alters to the Lord, and a lot of it simply has to do with the cultivating of our relationship with Him. In relationships with those around us its easy to see that if we do not spend time with them, we grow distant from them, if we hurt them, we must rebuild that relationship and apologize and change our ways, if we need council or advice, we go to those around us who have it that we trust, if we want them to know how much we care about them, we tell them and even tell others, when we wish to be with them we meet them. 

Abraham loved the Lord with all his heart, and he trusted him and sought after him. His alters were a refection of his intimacy with the Lord, his yearning to get close to Him in all areas of his life. He knew the Lord was going to lead him, council him, love him and bless him and take care of him, and even to call him to things and places to great for him. And Abraham knew He needed God through all of it, he simply could not walk the journey alone. Abraham had great faith, and was renown for it. As I read through Genesis and see his nearness to God, I find myself hungry for more. I might be in a time of waiting for my next direction or step, but that is not where and when my call begins. I am exactly where God wants me to be right now, His call begins in hearing His voice...at his feet, at the alter.

Whom have I in Heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the stength of my heart 
and my portion forever. _Psalm 73:25-26

love Missy
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online sources that I must give credit to:
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Just a few off track Thoughts while digging through Genesis, and why it takes me sooooo long to read!!!:

While going through the Word, I find myself very curious about the details of everything, like:
  •  "How much time past between Gods initial call for Abraham in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans (Acts 7:2-4), to the time that Abraham actually started out from Harran toward the land that God was calling him to?" (Gen:12:4), 
  •  "What is the significance of the promises that God gave him that continue to permeate through the entire biblical text?" (Gen:12:2-3).
Etc Etc.. I have had lots of questions and with the help of google beside me as I read and all the places I can find scriptural cross-referencing, it has really made the Word come to life. 


Some Fun facts...
  •  Did you know that Abraham was originally from southern Iraq?(Acts 7:2-4 ...Ur is present day Iraq) (google)
  •  Did you know that Haran (where God called him in Gen 12 and where he had settled after leaving Ur) was present day Turkey.(Gen:12:4) (google)
  •  And the land God was calling him to was naturally, Canaan, now known to be Israel/Palestine. (Gen:12:5) (google)
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