A Journal of a Broken Personality

I'm learning about the Altar

I'm learning, I'm learning about the Altar

I have always wondered why there is a yearning to be at the church altar. The alter is where the pastor stands and preaches from in other words the pulpit, as a child I would see people go to the altar and be overwhelmed with emotions, there would be in tears some would fall on their knees and some even on their faces.

I experienced this in my childhood when I would rededicate my life. But why at the altar? I have a sacred time and place to have my fellowship with the Lord, and that is usually done in the privacy of my room, but somewhat I still find this yearning and longing to be at the altar.

On Fridays my church Calvary Temple usually has their corporate prayer and a selected day to have an all-night prayer session. There is something powerful about praying together. The program begins with a time of worship followed by a sermon, soon after the invitation is given to the congregation to pray either in the men's or women's prayer room, the altar or at the comforts of their seats.

While attending the prayer meetings I always felt this urge to run to the altar, I would resist it a few times because I didn't understand, but this urge began to grow. One day I couldn't take it anymore I finally I decided that I had to respond, my whole being wanted to be there.

The moment the pastor would say it was time to pray I would feel my heart racing, I left my seat in such a hurry I didn't realize that I looked like I was going to break into a sprint. I got to the altar and broke down into the most uncontrollable cry. A cry from within. I felt as if I was directly under the presence of God. I couldn't say a word all I could do was cry.

I finally understood that yearning. Although we now have the privilege of direct access to the father through the Lord Jesus Christ who is our high priest and that we can pray anywhere and anytime there was something about the altar

Hebrew 8:1 "We have such a high priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens". 

Hebrews 4: 14-16 "seeing that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore com boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need" 

 The modern day church altar acts like the tabernacle and the Church altar like the holy of holies which was in the old testament in Moses time. The pulpit is where the anointing of God falls for the congregation, it is at the pulpit that the man of God gives the word he is somewhat like the priest. There is a special anointing at the altar and that was what I was drawn to.

I now understand how Hanna felt when she was desperate for a child, she could have just prayed and cried out to God from her home or anywhere for that matter but her desperation drove her to the temple on her knees to cry out to God and present her petition before him. The altar is a place to bring your brokenness, your desperations, worries and plea. I realized that the altar is the best place to offload and to draw strength.

God brought 3 beautiful ladies into my life, Kita, Janet and Seini. We were casual friends before but out of our common brokenness and hunger for the presence of the Lord, he knitted our hearts together and we formed this new bond of love for each other. The Lord led us to pray attest twice a week at the altar for a season and it was marvelous. It was at the altar that our friendship deepened.

During these times of praying at the altar the 3 women and I were going through our own battles in that season. Janet the youngest of the group has this thirst to know God more, her family is always on her mind, she is deeply burdened for them and their salvation. I see here time and time again bringing her petitions at the altar it's so moving to see. She also desires to see people through Gods eyes and wants to be a source of encouragement to the people around her. Kita is in a dilemma of her relationship, she had a falling out with her partner and is seeking for God to confirm if this is the one that he ordained. The pressures of work and school and the desire to grow deeper in his word. As for Seini, she seeks healing for the wounds that she encountered in life, by people and the decisions she has made. For balance in work and school to grow more in the Lord and find her calling in him.

My cry has been for this book, that the Lord would gives me the strength, boldness and courage to be able to write about my past, to be ready for the words of judgement from people and mostly that the Lord would touch my family to deal with the publication of my private life. I could handle the ridicule from the world but from my family that would be the hardest. what also frightens me is not finding a spouse because of this book, seeing all my past being written and not being loved because of that, it is my cry that he is able to see past and see me as a new creation.

I also am burden for the lost souls that this book will bring them to the understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and have an encounter with him, that those who know the truth and are entangled again with the world may be able to find their way back home. That's why I have the altar to give it all to God because he is the only one who can comfort me, without him it would be impossible.

1 John 3: 16 "Here by perceive we the love of God because he lay down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." The altar brings people together my friends and I are now able to stand in the gap for each other's needs just as our father lay down his life for us, so shall we. We cannot carry our burdens alone it is impossible, that is why we have each other" Galatians 6:2 "bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"

We are blessed with an omnipresent God and that we can pray any place and at any time, he is a God that doesn't sleep nor slumber and if ever we call upon him he will answer.

But, there is something special about the altar.

I'm learning, I'm learning about the Altar