[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your family altar

Read: 2 CHRONICLES 20: 1-13

Meditation verse:

“Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood  before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13).

There was an emergency in Judah. The people of Moab, Ammon, and Mount  Seir came to battle against Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. When they told the king  that a great multitude was coming against him, he feared, and set himself to  seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So, all the cities of Judah gathered to ask help from the Lord.

I recall reading this passage and pondering over the thirteenth verse: “Now all  Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the  Lord”. It had already been mentioned earlier that all Judah gathered to seek the  face of God. Why was it important to emphasize the fact that the men, their  wives, children, and little ones stood before the Lord? The answer came to me  as a revelation. When a man stands before God with his wife and children beside  him, God honours that commitment and answers them speedily. Psalm 133  states, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together  in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the  beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of  Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded  the blessing—Life forevermore”. The picture of the family coming together in  unity and fellowship strikes a chord in God’s heart.

The family unit is the smallest church, with the man as the priest. The  importance of the family coming together daily to pray cannot be ignored. In the  family altar, God is worshipped and glorified, the faith of each member is built  up and issues are resolved. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain  who build it” (Psalm 127:1). A famous quote says: “a family that prays together,  stays together”. By honouring God in the place of your family altar, you are  inviting His Lordship over your home and ushering in His presence and in the  presence of the Lord, “there is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures  forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Joshua said “…but as for me and my house, we will  serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Do you have a family altar in your home?

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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