Friday, September 19, 2014

Before the altar...where am I when I worship (part 3)


When I purify my worship God sanctifies my altar (Exodus 29:43; Exodus 30:19-21). God wants our reverence (Exodus 34:8) He gave the Israelites instructions in worshiping from their heart and that applies to His people today (I Chronicles 16:29; 2 Kings 7:36). At one time, God’s people were unable to approach God because His glory was in the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34,35) Even Aaron in Leviticus 16:2 and the priests in David’s time in I Kings 8:31. Now because of Christ I and others that are God’s people in Christ can go boldly before His throne. (Hebrews 4:16) In fact we as His people are asked to come before Him if we are going to follow Him. (Leviticus 10:3) So that we can do this, Jesus sits at God’s right hand and provides the way for us to come before God.

 

But what can I bring to the table of the Lord that He has  not already provided? (Nehemiah 10:39) Do I bring my best, as God asks? Or am I desiring that God be impressed with my works rather than to praise Him for what He has done in me? Do I give “reverence” at His holy table? (Psalm 5:7) Do I declare Him and praise Him in His house (Psalm 22:22)? If I go before His altar, all of me  must be clean, particularly my soul. All of me must be cleansed. (Psalm 24:3-6). My mind must be cleared of what the world would use to take me away from God. God wants me to be 100% His, mind, heart, soul and body, Much as Christ was His. (Luke 2:52) It comes to the point where I share the Psalmists’ sentiment, “I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth”. (Psalm 26:6-8) and one thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek after, and that is that “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” (Psalm 27:4)

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