YOUR TABLE IS AN ALTAR

Three times the Bible calls the brazen altar where the priests conducted the daily sacrifices “the table of the Lord.” It is interesting that God calls it a table.

However, I think that if the altar is called a table, then our table is also an altar.

I think it is a beautiful thing to see our family table as an altar. It brings greater meaning to the table. I think we look upon our tables too lightly. We don’t understand the power and significance of a family table. God is very interested in tables. In fact, God had a table in His heavenly kingdom before He ever introduced them on earth. They are a heavenly thing. They come from God.

When God describes the family that is blessed of the Lord, He pictures them all sitting together around a table (Psalm 128:3). This is God’s heart for families.

The altar in the tabernacle, and later the temple, was a place for sacrifices. I think our table is also a place of sacrifice. It takes thought, effort, and sacrifice of time to prepare a meal for our family. To prepare, eat together, and have family devotions at our evening meal often takes three hours out of my day! I must put aside other things that I could do, things that I might think are more important, but in God’s eyes they are of much lesser importance.

God sees our sacrifices to serve and bless our husbands and families with a lovely meal. It does not go unnoticed by our Heavenly Father who loves the meal table. I am sure that just as the aroma of the burnt offering upon the altar went up before the Lord as a sweet-smelling savor, so our sacrificial love comes up before the Lord as a sweet savor to Him.

He loves to come and join us at our table. He loves tables. He loves the discourse at the table. Jesus showed us this when He was on earth. So much of His ministry took place on the way to a meal, during a meal, or after a meal.

The altar was where the people brought their offerings to the Lord. The people brought five different offerings which the priests offered upon the brazen altar.

As we prepare the daily meals for our families, they are also offerings unto the Lord. Yes, they are an offering to our families (hopefully not too many burnt offerings!), but ultimately to the Lord. Therefore, we don’t prepare meals with resignation and grumblings and groanings, but with joy and happiness, knowing that we are serving the Lord Christ and making an offering up to Him.

The altar was also sacred. The Bible says that the altar was “before the Lord” (Exodus 27:21; 29:11; Leviticus 1:5; 4:6-24 and loads of other Scriptures. It means “in the presence of the Lord.” Ezekiel 41:22 says: “This is the able that stands in the LORD’S presence.”

Your table in your home is sacred. When you sit around your table for each meal, God longs to come and sit with you. He wants to bring His presence. Everything you do—all your conversation and interactions are in the presence of the Lord. That doesn’t mean it has to be like church. No, I am sure God loves to see us enjoying His food and enjoying one another. Laughing, talking, and discussing together, and then of course, ready to listen to God at the end of our meal. For the table is not only a place to feed the physical man, but the emotional, and spiritual too.

We never leave our table without my husband opening God’s Word and reading it to us. We then pray together. Everyone prays, from the oldest to the youngest! Our table becomes an altar as we connect with God to hear from Him and call upon His name.

Oh, what blessedness.

I pray that you will see your able in a new light.

In His love,

Nancy Campbell