Thursday, December 17, 2009

building a family altar

I know it has been a while since I've blogged it up! This is what has been on my heart lately is building a family altar. Before we moved out to KC, MO there was a day where we knew we needed to seek the Lord for some answers on what this new season was going to look like. So Tom got his guitar out started worshipping, I gave the kids there bibles, Trinity was dancing and Samuel was sitting next to Tom. Then Samuel kept pointing at the bible like he wanted us to read something. We look and it is Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." Gen 35:2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Gen 35:3 "Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.

I love this because He says to go there, dwell there, make an altar. Bethel was a place where Jacob had encountered the Lord, for us KC is a place where we had encounters with the Lord. Then it says in vs. 3 he tells his household to arise and go to Bethel. It was so clear to us that the Lord was saying go to KC, dwell there, and make a family altar. So we are here, we are dwelling, now to build a family altar. So I am pondering what does that mean, what does a family altar look like etc. Some things I've come up with this morning is an altar is a place of communion, it is a place to bring gifts of worship and sacrifice, it is a common place to meet with God. That out of a heart of thanksgiving we build and altar and worship God. I was looking in the Bible at some of the men that built altars. First there is Noah, Moses, and Jacob. I feel like Noah represents grace, Moses the law, and Jacob is a wrestler and represents prayer.

So this is just the beginning of my study on this but babies are crying and it is time to start the day, just needed to share some thoughts, we will update ya soon. Bless you all!
~Hilary