Passage: Genesis 12:7-8
The Big Idea
When Abram arrived in the land, the Lord appeared to him and promised it to his descendants. Abram responded by building altars and calling on the name of the Lord. God was too busy loving Abram to make demands of him; He was writing a love letter on Abram’s new heart. This short study invites you to think about how you meet with God each day, and why.
The Altar (Genesis 12:7-8)
The LORD appeared to Abram and said He would give this land to his offspring. So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Then he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
An altar was:
- A place to meet with God.
- A place to offer sacrifice for sin.
- A place to show submission to God.
- A place to worship God.
Abram had grown tired of everything people had to offer. He wanted to meet with God.
Notice what God didn’t do. He didn’t hand Abram a list of requirements. God was too concerned with loving Abram to spend His time demanding things from him. It’s the kindness of God that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). God was writing a love letter, by His Spirit, on the soft tablet of Abram’s new heart.
For Reflection
Your daily meeting with God
- How do you meet with the Lord on a daily basis?
- What’s the first thing you think about when you come to Him?
- Do you have a plan for your time with Him?
- Do you ever get distracted? By what?
Psalm 42:1-2
- The sons of Korah say their soul thirsts for God, the living God, and long to come and appear before Him. Why did they want to meet with Him?
- Why do you want to meet with Him each day?
- Do you ever feel like you’re just “supposed to” do your devotions?
- Would you want to meet with God if He were your enemy? What if you felt unworthy? Why is that no longer an issue for a Christian? (See Romans 5:1-2 and Hebrews 10:19-22.)
Psalm 63
- In what times and circumstances do you see David come to God in this psalm?
- What reasons does David give for meeting with God? (Hint: look for the word “because.”)
- What results have you seen from time spent with God?
- Why don’t we spend more time with Him?
Grace Takeaway
The altar was never about earning God’s attention; it was about meeting the God who had already appeared to Abram in love. Through Jesus, the way to meet with God is wide open. Come to Him each day, not because you’re supposed to, but because His love has already met you there.
← Abram's Believe It or Not | All Genesis notes | Famines "R" Us →