Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy! I will praise You with the lyre, God, my God! (vs. 4)
The joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8
What is the source of your joy? My question to myself when I read this again today. Is it my God?
This has been a week of introspection to some degree for me. I have an increased desire to be authentic before Him. To display the same heart 24-7. No fakery. Free of manipulation. I think I live that way, but I don't always know my heart. Daily things come up that cause a reaction in me. Some good. Some bad. What I do with those times is just as important to God as is my reaction to great tragedy. If I have put myself on the altar of God - die to self to live for His purposes - I will be walking in His will for me. Thus joy!
The altar spoken of here is the sacrificial altar. The place where the blood I should have to shed for my own sins has been poured out by another, leaving me clean - forgiven. I am a little choked up right now. When I know all I am guilty of. Gaze on my imperfections and downright willful sins, I think I have no right to look up to God in anything but shame. In me dwells no good thing. I know this. In fact, giving my body to be burned as a sacrifice would not even be good enough if I did not know Him. (1 Corinthians 13) Only holy blood, His blood, allows me access to my God.
My God! My Christ! My greatest joy! I run to the altar where You lay down in my place. In my own small act of reciprocal love, I offer anew this marred and imperfect sacrifice of my life to you. It is not even mine to give, for You have bought it for Yourself and I belong to You. Dancing. Singing. Throwing up my arms! I twirl and laugh and delight that I am free! In the Holy of Holies, breathing in the incense, sprinkled by Your blood, behind the raveled veil I dare to call you Abba! Filth for snow white garments! Sorrow given over to dancing! Depression arcing into praise! Brokenness transitioned into comfort! And, above all, you, my Abba, gaze on me with love.
Oh, come join the dance to my God! Come drink from the wells of joy because He makes us new. Come to the altar and see....a Lamb has changed our death knell into pardon. Left the altar blood-soaked. Breathe in the scent of the sacrifice. Know it should have been you. No last supper before you die. No executioner marching you, guilty and condemned, to the death you deserve. There will be no self-righteous soldier beating the sin out of you, for His stripes were enough. Look past the altar to a tomb where now all lambs are buried with Him. Hear an angel declare "He is not here! He has risen!"....and little lambs rise, too.
The joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8
What is the source of your joy? My question to myself when I read this again today. Is it my God?
This has been a week of introspection to some degree for me. I have an increased desire to be authentic before Him. To display the same heart 24-7. No fakery. Free of manipulation. I think I live that way, but I don't always know my heart. Daily things come up that cause a reaction in me. Some good. Some bad. What I do with those times is just as important to God as is my reaction to great tragedy. If I have put myself on the altar of God - die to self to live for His purposes - I will be walking in His will for me. Thus joy!
The altar spoken of here is the sacrificial altar. The place where the blood I should have to shed for my own sins has been poured out by another, leaving me clean - forgiven. I am a little choked up right now. When I know all I am guilty of. Gaze on my imperfections and downright willful sins, I think I have no right to look up to God in anything but shame. In me dwells no good thing. I know this. In fact, giving my body to be burned as a sacrifice would not even be good enough if I did not know Him. (1 Corinthians 13) Only holy blood, His blood, allows me access to my God.
My God! My Christ! My greatest joy! I run to the altar where You lay down in my place. In my own small act of reciprocal love, I offer anew this marred and imperfect sacrifice of my life to you. It is not even mine to give, for You have bought it for Yourself and I belong to You. Dancing. Singing. Throwing up my arms! I twirl and laugh and delight that I am free! In the Holy of Holies, breathing in the incense, sprinkled by Your blood, behind the raveled veil I dare to call you Abba! Filth for snow white garments! Sorrow given over to dancing! Depression arcing into praise! Brokenness transitioned into comfort! And, above all, you, my Abba, gaze on me with love.
Oh, come join the dance to my God! Come drink from the wells of joy because He makes us new. Come to the altar and see....a Lamb has changed our death knell into pardon. Left the altar blood-soaked. Breathe in the scent of the sacrifice. Know it should have been you. No last supper before you die. No executioner marching you, guilty and condemned, to the death you deserve. There will be no self-righteous soldier beating the sin out of you, for His stripes were enough. Look past the altar to a tomb where now all lambs are buried with Him. Hear an angel declare "He is not here! He has risen!"....and little lambs rise, too.
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