Uncomfortable S2 - Day 12
David Builds and Altar
25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
So, having sacrificed and understanding the cost of this worship, David goes about building an altar. These altars were not works of art; they were essentially heaps of stones that were placed conspicuously to help people remember what it is that God had done. It is a reminder of God’s goodness and willingness to partner with his people repeatedly. When we look to the future, we always keep one eye on the past to know how good God has been and will be.
David took the time to build this altar by hand. He had paid the price for the sacrifice, but his hands' work also mattered. While he is king, he builds this with his own hands, his own sweat, and his own blood. It is a form of worship, the back-breaking work of putting those rocks in place to look back and always see what God has done. Also, there was a promise that the plague would end, becoming another reminder of God's graciousness and love for us.
I am sure you get it at this point. Altars point to the past and how God has been good, but they also point to the future as we anticipate God’s continued goodness. So why do we live as if there is no hope, no point, and no joy to the lives we have been given in Christ? (I know painting with such a massive brush is unfair.) But we sometimes live like we have forgotten God’s goodness and grace. There is always a danger in forgetting the past!
Unfortunately, forgetting the past is dangerous because it affects our understanding of the future and what God is doing. We are repeatedly reminded that there is a hope that we live with that gives us motivation and security, drives us forward, and propels us to the next blessing of God in our lives. While we can’t always see what God is doing in the present, the past reminds us of our future. Walking toward the future backward, with an eye on the past, allows us to continue the journey in the sight and security of God.
JOURNAL:
So, having sacrificed and understanding the cost of this worship, David goes about building an altar. These altars were not works of art; they were essentially heaps of stones that were placed conspicuously to help people remember what it is that God had done. It is a reminder of God’s goodness and willingness to partner with his people repeatedly. When we look to the future, we always keep one eye on the past to know how good God has been and will be.
David took the time to build this altar by hand. He had paid the price for the sacrifice, but his hands' work also mattered. While he is king, he builds this with his own hands, his own sweat, and his own blood. It is a form of worship, the back-breaking work of putting those rocks in place to look back and always see what God has done. Also, there was a promise that the plague would end, becoming another reminder of God's graciousness and love for us.
I am sure you get it at this point. Altars point to the past and how God has been good, but they also point to the future as we anticipate God’s continued goodness. So why do we live as if there is no hope, no point, and no joy to the lives we have been given in Christ? (I know painting with such a massive brush is unfair.) But we sometimes live like we have forgotten God’s goodness and grace. There is always a danger in forgetting the past!
Unfortunately, forgetting the past is dangerous because it affects our understanding of the future and what God is doing. We are repeatedly reminded that there is a hope that we live with that gives us motivation and security, drives us forward, and propels us to the next blessing of God in our lives. While we can’t always see what God is doing in the present, the past reminds us of our future. Walking toward the future backward, with an eye on the past, allows us to continue the journey in the sight and security of God.
JOURNAL:
- What altars remind you of what God has done do you have in your life?
- How do you walk backward into the future?
- There are always times when God is working; what can you put in place as a reminder?
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