BUILD AN ALTAR 

By Sion Alford 

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice ... . Genesis 8:20–21 (NLT)

As a kid, I always looked forward to Saturday nights. My dad would stack charcoal in an old kettle drum grill, add lighter fluid, light it, and meticulously stoke the fiery coals until they radiated the perfect temperature. Whenever I smell charcoal and lighter fluid, I think of my late father’s grilling expertise and his juicy, flame-seared steaks. Grilling was an art form to my dad. He took it seriously and the results confirmed it. The aroma from his Saturday night cookouts filled the house, the yard, and the entire neighborhood. 

Noah must have been a skilled grill master too. After deboarding the ark, the first thing he did was build a grill—well, actually, an altar. The difference between a grill and an altar is significant: we place something on a grill so we can consume what is cooked. We place something on an altar so God can consume what is sacrificed. The latter is what Noah built. The first mention of “altar” in the Bible teaches us three important truths about the altars we should build in our own lives: 

Altars are a place of sacrifice. What we place on altars costs us something. Noah couldn’t stroll down to the nearest Home Depot and buy a solid, stainless steel altar. He had to build it. It took time, planning, and thought. And the sacrifices he placed on the altar were extremely valuable. He offered animals and birds that weren’t exactly abundant on earth at that time! 

Altars are a place of worship. Noah offered things acceptable and pleasing to God. Romans 12:1 (NLT) urges us to offer our lives as “a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Our lives should be lived on the altar of worship. Worship that transcends church attendance. Worship that represents Jesus, whose life was filled with love for others. A 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week lifestyle. This type of worship is a sweet and pleasing aroma to God. 

Altars are a place of blessing and promise. When we obediently sacrifice our best, God responds abundantly with His best. Because God was “pleased with the aroma” of Noah’s sacrifice, He blessed Noah and his family and promised they’d be fruitful and have dominion over the earth. Much like God blessed mankind in Genesis 1:28, He also blesses us when our obedient sacrifices please Him. 

Take time every day to build an altar of sacrifice and worship. Build it by listening to God’s voice, believing Him, and obeying Him. Your worship will be a sweet aroma to God that releases His blessings and promises on you and your family! 

Prayer 

Father, today I offer You my life as a living sacrifice on the altar I have prepared by setting aside this time to be with You. I give You my health, my finances, my family, and my most treasured desires. Consume them in Your love, empower me with Your grace, and grant me Your presence as I walk through this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Memory Verse

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)