BUILDING ALTARS, NOT PEDESTALS. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture
“…The altars you make must be simple altars of earth. Offer on such altars your sacrifices to me… Build altars on the places where I remind you who I am, and I will come and bless you there. If you build altars from stone, use only uncut stones. Do not chip or shape the stones with a tool, for that would make them unfit for holy use. And you may not approach my altar by steps. I f you do, someone may look up under the skirts of your clothing and see you nakedness.”
Exodus 20:24-26

Observation
God instructed Moses to build altars, not pedestals. Altars were built to honor God, not to honor men. Altars help us to focus on God. Pedestals distract us from God and focus in men. In the altar we offer sacrifices to God, we praise Him, and we give ALL the glory to Him. In pedestals we feed the ego of men and we offer our lives to them. We build altars in the places where God reveals who He is. They need to be simple! Simplicity and excellence meet in an altar. Complexity and perfectionism meet in a pedestal. God wants uncut stones, not shaped stones. He wants what He has done in the way He has done it. He doesn’t need the human intervention to reshape what He has done. He simply wants men to bring the stones and pile them up, just as they are. Some men may say, “But if we don’t cut them an fit them nicely, they will not withhold each other.” But God says, “The stones remain unmovable because I withhold them.” Altars are built with stones that depend on God’s presence and faithfulness to be strong. Pedestals are built with cut stones that depend on men’s charisma, drive, innovation, and intelligence to be strong.

Application
We need to make our mind about what kind of life we want to build for the Lord. If we want altars, we need to follow God’s instructions and depend solely in His faithfulness and strength. Altars don’t have steps. God’s presence cannot be elevated in places that require my effort to climb to it. God’s presence is in the midst of His people. Pedestals have steps and elevate men to be adored. Some pedestals have one step and others have multiple steps. The higher the pedestal is established, the more nakedness of men will be revealed. Sooner or later somebody is going to look up, and the view is not going to be pleasant.

That’s why is better to live a life of humility before God—where there’s no steps to climb and where I can see people eye to eye, leveled in the same ground with them, just as we all are leveled at the foot of the cross. Pedestals need to be destroyed. Uncut stones need to replace those men-shaped and spoiled stones. God alone receives the glory. People deserve honor and respect, but we must watch closely for the thin line between giving respect to someone and worship them. Altars have room only for the throne of God. Pedestals have room only for selfishness, ego, and stubbornness.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, let me spent every second of my life building altars, not pedestals. Please don’t let my ministry become a monstrosity but only the reflection of your glory. Humble me every time is necessary, when steps appear unnoticed, and when your uncut stones are replaced by men-shaped ones. Lord, please let me build a life and ministry that depends on your strength and faithfulness, not on my drive, relevance, intelligence, or innovation. In that way, when people see me, they will see uncut stones and say, “Wow, look how great and faithful God is and look at what He has done in his life.” But if the see man-shaped stones the will say, “Wow, look how good and talented that stone cutter is.” Let my life be an altar for your honor and glory, not a pedestal for my debacle and shame. Amen!