The Glories of AltarsShembull

Completing (the Circle)

completing (the circle) | kəmˈplēt ing | verb

—the spiritual delight of returning to God some of the small gifts He bestows each day

Picture with me a little child plucking clover blossoms for Mommy. Amidst Mom’s flurry to finish all the work allotted to the day, he appears suddenly with his fist full of wilting flowers. What mother will not immediately stop to receive the proffered bouquet? After all, the gift is not really the flowers. It is that while she was at play the child remembered Mommy likes pretty things and wanted to surprise her—it’s about the sweet mother-child relationship.

This altar is similar to a clover blossom bouquet in that the proceedings are the common stuff of everyday, and offered with the heart of a child. For some years now I have taken seriously Jesus’s words to become like a child in my faith. One expression of this pursuit is our daily gift exchange, an altar moment when I give Papa (our Father) one simple gift selected from something I have received from Him that day—something I enjoyed in His beautiful earth, a sincere compliment or encouragement, a conversation, an opportunity to act or speak of His name, or anything I recognized as a gift from His heart to mine that day. If I picked up seashells, I give them to Him. If I cut a rose I grew myself, I give it to Him. If I received a letter from a friend, I give it to Him. If I had the joy of praying with someone, I give it to Him. “But,” you might object, “did you really hand God seashells, a compliment, or a prayer?” Yes. But obviously, these transfers happened as an expression of childlike faith through my spirit.

God’s kindnesses are purposefully, extravagantly strewn about our day, and it is fitting to recognize His thoughtfulness, then return a bitty portion of what He bestows. I call this “completing the circle”—what came from Papa returns to Him for His pleasure at this altar. I look forward all day to this holy moment. If I perceive this gift midday, I often whisper, “Tonight when I meet with You, I will give you ____.” I like to picture Papa’s dais piled high with years and years of my returned gifts. I think they make Him smile.

Let Us Complete the Circle

• Take a moment to consider what you have experienced today. Do you see any of Father’s gracious gifts tucked in?
• When you are at your altar, offer His gift back to Him to complete the circle of relational love.
• Pause to enjoy His response.
• Cultivate the spiritual delight of recognizing and enjoying in the Lord’s gifts directed toward you each day and overflow in a childlike expression of thanksgiving.