Rebuilding the Altar of Worship

Reflection

There is something about being home that makes us feel secure and comfortable. We have our places where our things are nestled and routines that we go about day to day. We have our little prayer corner that we go to or our room for study. And like most of you, when I am away it breaks my routines and just does not feel the same.

So when I think about the Israelites being away from their home, I understand the longing. But being away from the Law, from worshipping as God instructed, brought about a longing that I can only imagine. They weren’t just missing routine. They were missing covenant worship.

Here they were, coming back into the land, and they began by building an altar. It was the seventh month, a time when worship held great significance. And despite the fear of the neighbors around them, they rebuilt the altar anyway.

What they were doing mattered deeply. They were restoring true worship, not just going through rituals but obeying the Lord as He commanded. Today, we don’t have to rebuild a physical altar. His laws are written on our hearts. We worship Him in spirit and in truth. That means wherever we go, our lives and our bodies are a fit place for worship.

Still, when I read this, I think about how they joined together, eager to sacrifice and worship. And I have to ask myself: am I eager? Is worship always before my mind? Do I bring the same urgency and intentionality into my time with the Lord?

It is easy to settle into convenience and routine, but God still calls us to offer our lives as living sacrifices. The altar may look different, but the call to worship remains the same.