Thurs.’s Devo - Cleansing the Altar

Read Ex. 29:36-46 Next we have instructions for cleansing the altar. An altar is a place of sacrifice and offering. In the tabernacle there were two altars: the brazen altar which was where the priests offered the sacrifices where the public could watch. The other was the altar of incense where the prayers were offered in a more intimate setting. If the brazen altar stood for the cross then to receive it into our hearts we need our hearts clean and consecrated to God. When we ask Jesus into our hearts then we can still offer up sacrifices to God. Heb. 13:15,16 says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” So our sacrifices are first our hearts and lives then our praise, the fruit of our hands and the fruit of our lips. Notice that the priest was to perform these sacrifices morning and night. This altar was where God would meet with his children and dwell among them. The same goes for us. The altar we have built in our hearts for the Lord is where we meet with God and he changes us. This is what the world looks on and knows that we are called by his name. This altar is a place of death, where our old man dies daily so that we might walk in newness for life. Lord, may we sanctify our hearts to receive your glory.