I have been reading a lot from the Old Testament in the last ... year. There are a few things that really strike me and have spoken to me. One of them is building altars for God in things where He has come through.
As I understand, altars are a reminder of the good things that God has done.
I have one by my entrance door. Every time I look at it, I remember the couple of months where I was fighting every day to keep my self-esteem up and not let the "no's" from rejection letters while looking for a job, get me down. It's a verse from Jeremiah 29:11 -
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
It was a dark period but I got through it. Somehow. I felt like I was in a battle inside my mind every day. I felt attacked from all kinds of angles but I got through it and it didn't break me. Not because I was strong but because I was holding on to my faith in God with all my might. And it got me through and brought me to a place where I am today - with a great job and so many dreams fulfilled and re-assurance that He is worth trusting in.
3 comments:
Tell us more about your altars - what do you put on them? Can you show us a picture? How long do you leave them up? Sounds interesting!
I don't know a whole lot about it but in the OT, a dude just hauled a bunch of rocks in one spot and called in an altar. It's more like a reminder of something. So that every time you look at it, you know why you created it.
The one I call my "altar" wasn't even made by me, it was this cross given to me. I just stuck it up there and in the process, every time I looked at that verse, I was re-assured. So that now, when I look at it, I remember that time and it has turned into one, rather than I built it.
But I once read somewhere that it's not a bad idea to do that from time to time, when you feel like it's worth "cementing". You can take a picture and frame it or paint a painting or ...the sky is your limit. I don't think it matters what you do, as long as you know why you are creating it.
What a wonderful idea! I love visual reminders and this is so encouraging! I might build an altar, too.
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