Then Joshua build on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses --- an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.
I am having lunch with my lady friends today and am about to go get ready, but before I do, I just had to share with you a quick thought about today's verse that came out of my conversation with Toby this morning. We are really enjoying the in depth look at the word altar this month. Yes, we are only a week into it, and maybe we will get bored looking at only one word for an entire month, but I don't think so. So far I am loving it!
But I digress.
Joshua. We reviewed the path Joshua took the Israelites through the River Jordan, around the walls of Jericho, past Achan's sin, into the ambush of Ai, and then when we read today's verse, the thing that jumped out at both of us was that the altar Joshua built was made of uncut stones on which no iron (manmade?) tool had been used.
We immediately thought of the house Jesus is building. Christians are living stones being built together into a house, and Jesus is the master carpenter. Right? Isn't that what it says in 1 Peter 2:5?
You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
So follow me here. If God's method is to use uncut stones on which no manmade tool has been used, then I think we need to be careful not to cut one another into an artificial shape according to our ideas of what would be appropriate in God's house. Outward appearance is not what counts. It is what God is doing on the inside that matters.
Religion cuts people into shape.
Christianity is not to be a religion. Christians are placed into God's building by their relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that makes us a holy priesthood for the purpose of offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
It's not about religion. It's about relationship.
Relationship one to another as uncut stones carefully placed by the Master Builder, and, relationship from God to person, each person individually connected to Him through Jesus Christ, yet all of us related with Him as one single building.
The worst thing we can do is to try to cut each other into shape. Cutting and shaping is the work of the Holy Spirit. So hands off!
That's what today's verse brought to our minds today. What does it bring to yours?
Gotta run. See you tomorrow, Lord willing.
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