The Best of the Portals of Prayer

Read: Judges 6:25-27 // Psalm 66

“The Lord said; … pull down the altar of Baal.”
Judges 6:25

Sketch of a Wrecker

All who would lead people to Christ must be willing to remove obstacles. Gideon first had to lead his people to the knowledge of their sins before he could save them from their enemies. The purge of false religion had to come first. Baal worship had become a cancer in Gideon’s community. To ensure spiritual healing, this had to be cut out – the altars of Baal had to be pulled down in spite of reaction or resistance from either his father or community. The spiritual health of Israel was an absolute necessity for its victory over oppressive pagan nations.
To participate in Christendom’s victories, we, too, must pull down modern altars that obstruct vision and impede the progress of Christ’s Gospel. The undue attention we give to the altar of wealth and power must go. We cannot be slaves to mammon, and servants to Christ, at the same time. The dollar signs in our eyes will blur our vision of Christ, who alone is our one and all. The altar of self-advancement in business, profession, or social position – to the neglect of all else – must be pulled down. We must see God as God in our lives.

Gracious Father, help us to remove from our lives all that keeps us from honoring Christ as our Savior and the highest good. Amen.

August 29, 1982