|  | | April 18 | | | | | God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands ... | | | | Acts 17:24 | | | | God is our Creator. ‘The Unknown God is the God Who made everything,’ Paul declared. ‘He’s too big for any singular temple or any carved altar no matter how beautiful or impressive it might appear.’
In Exodus 20, the Lord said, ‘An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me. And if thou make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it,'’ (Exodus 20:24-25). In other words, the Lord said, ‘If you build Me an altar, make it very simple — preferably of dirt. If you use rock, don’t carve or polish it. Keep it simple so that the attention of the people will remain focused upon Me instead of on the altar.’
This gives me great hope because, although I want my life to be used by the Lord, I am increasingly aware of my plainness, my earthiness. I’m not very polished. I don’t know if I’m ‘cut out’ to do great things for God. Yet, according to Exodus 20, these very doubts make me eminently qualified! Paul said, ‘We have this treasure [Jesus Christ] in earthen vessels,’ (2 Corinthians 4:7). We’re not fancy vases. We’re just plain canning jars, boasting not of our exterior — but of Whom we have within. If you don’t feel capable to share, witness, teach, or minister, you are an ideal candidate because God will get the glory, not you. |
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