The Point of Intersection

I must confess to being somewhat like the guy in the old story who fell into a well one night after leaving the local tavern.  By the time he had dug his fingers and toes into the side of the well and pulled himself out, he had as it is sometimes said, "found the Lord."  He became such a devout soul that he went to the tavern, not to drink, but to find others who could hardly walk so he could lead them to the well so they could fall to the bottom and "find the Lord."

 

Now, the way I am like the guy in the story has nothing to do with visits to the local tavern, but instead, has to do with visits to altars.  There is a part of me which wants to believe that if folks can get on their knees at the altar it will make a world of difference in their relationship with God.  Of course, I have been on enough dry runs at the altar to say that an altar trip equates with a stronger spiritual life, but it still seems that it is a good place to start.

 

Kneeling at an altar, or kneeling anywhere if we are seeking to kneel before God, can be a life changing moment.  When we are kneeling, there is nowhere to look but up.  And, if we take a moment to look around we are likely to realize that everyone around us is on the same platform.  An altar is a great equalizer.  In the old days when revivals and altar calls were the norm, people wanting to deal with the sin in their lives gathered on their knees.  And even when kneeling people are not necessarily seeking a first experience with Jesus, they are there because of some unmanageable need in their lives.  It has always seemed that the altar is a place where raw human need and the grace of God intersect which is a good place to be.