DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONALS: NOVEMBER 4 DO WE STILL HAVE ALTAR OF REMEMBRANCE? (3) SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 35: 1 – 9

We are still looking at the need to raise altar or build altar in remembrance of what God has done for us. In the times of the Old Testament days, altars are physical structures built, with most often; stones and sacrifice made upon the arranged stones, then, have God worshipped. A dominant feature of building altar is the promise made by the person raising the altar during worship that followed the sacrifice. God also responded with promises of what to do to the person who built the altar. While the builder might have wandered to another place, the likelihood of returning one day to refresh the promises made to God during the raising of the altar cannot be doubted. This was seen when God asked Jacob to go back to Bethel after he has returned to Shechem to offer Him sacrifice.

Many Christians can say here that Altars in churches serve the remembrance purposes. Then another question can be raised on how much honour do we accord God on these Altars? This devotional agrees with those saying that building physical altar of remembrance ought not to be overemphasized now that Jesus Christ offered Himself on the Cross for mankind. However, they can trust the Lord’s Supper as Altar of continuous reminder of the death of Christ in their hearts. Unfortunately many have little regard on the Lord’s Supper.

About the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of me” meaning as long as you participated in the Holy Communion, you are keeping me in remembrance (1 Cor. 11: 24). Here is where the major problem lies. Many Christians in various churches participate in receiving the Holy Communion void of its Spiritual significant.

There are so many good things God has done for us Christians. We have been severally delivered from the hands of evil forces knowingly or unknowingly.

How many times do we sit down to look at those miracles, deliverances and daily protections from dangers? Christians are enjoined to build an altar of remembrance in their minds and hearts. We should be able to memorize God’s goodness and mercy over our lives as often as possible.

It will be spiritually benefitting if Christians could remember a place or city where God did certain great work for them and keep memorizing the events praising God. This is another way of raising remembrance altar for God these days. Bethel was where Jacob memorized his vision of seeing heaven. Gilgal was where Joshua commemorated Israelites’ miraculous entrance into the Promised Land.

PRAYER:

HOLY SPIRIT, kindly bring into my memory, remembrance of great and good things God has done in my life so that I will build an altar of remembrance for Him in my minds and hearts in the name of Jesus Christ.

I’mbishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch