He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 (AMPC)
As I have shared recently, I am on a journey backward over the past six years visiting altar moments.
What are altar moments? They are moments of remembrance when I have surrendered control to the power of God. An altar in the Bible was a place of laying something down, offering it up to God.
Gotquestions.org says, “An altar was often built to commemorate an encounter with God that had a profound impact. Every human heart has an invisible altar where the war between the flesh and the spirit rages. When we surrender areas of our lives to the control of the Holy Spirit, we are in effect laying that area on the altar before God.”
Giving up control is hard for most. Even those who believe they do not have control issues (which, by the way, I am not one of them). Fear drives control. Control gives a false sense of security. That’s why the more we try to control, the more control is needed. It’s a perpetual cycle that could eventually drive the sanest person mad.
As much as I hate to admit it, trials train. It seems that the principle of the cliché “no pain, no gain” came from God Himself. We see this in places like Romans 5,
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Altars are like the stepping stones of remembrance that lead to freedom.
I want freedom where there is bondage, don’t you? My bondage is fear. As I look back over my journey, I see stepping stones that God has turned into milestones. Every encounter with fear gives me an opportunity to lay it down before Him, to learn or even more so unlearn that which holds me down. When I have chosen to do so, faith replaced fear. To me, this is the confident hope of salvation we see in Romans 5. Although I know that God saved me the moment I said yes to Jesus, from that moment to Glory is a journey to unveil beauty from ashes.
Will God ever fully deliver me from my bent toward fear this side of heaven? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the weakness He allows in me to draw me to Him.
In the meantime, when fear rears its ugly head, I pray that I will continue to see the stepping stones that represent my laying it before Him. Then I can see His fearlessness and strength, His protection and love, and His heart and purpose in all I experience. And step by step, faith will shatter fear.
Have you had moments of surrender to God that had a profound impact on you? This is an altar moment you may want to remember. Maybe for you, like me, seeing each stepping stone will lead you to freedom from whatever binds you.
Father, I never want to forget the altar moments where You’ve given me Your strength to lay down one fear at a time. When I close my eyes, I see Jesus reaching toward me, lifting my head as I hear these words…
Though a thousand fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. For I will cover you with my feathers, and under my wings shall you trust and find refuge. Psalm 91:7,4)
Kommentare