Scripture:

“The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.” – Leviticus 6:13

Beloved,

Every believer carries an altar, the sacred place in the heart where we meet God in prayer, worship, and surrender. It is where His presence dwells and His fire burns continually. But when that altar is broken, the flame of devotion begins to fade, and intimacy with God grows distant.

An altar breaks when sin and disobedience creep in. Sin separates us from God, and disobedience quenches His fire. Saul lost his altar of kingship when he chose partial obedience over full surrender. The altar also breaks when idols take the place of God when work, pleasure, relationships, or personal ambitions rise above devotion to Him. Like Gideon, we must tear down every strange altar before we can rebuild the true one.

Neglect is another silent destroyer. When prayer becomes occasional and the Word no longer stirs the heart, the fire slowly dies. God commanded that the fire on the altar must never go out, but neglect makes it grow cold. Unforgiveness and strife also break the altar; bitterness blocks the flow of God’s grace and robs the heart of peace.

Pride and self-sufficiency are equally dangerous. When we begin to rely on our own strength, we subtly tell God we no longer need Him. King Uzziah’s pride brought his downfall even though he began well. Compromise and worldliness defile the altar too when we try to mix our devotion to God with the pleasures of the world, the fire loses purity and power.

A lack of sacrifice weakens the altar. True altars demand something of us time, obedience, worship, or self-denial. When we stop offering ourselves to God, the altar becomes empty. And finally, distraction and busyness often steal the time and focus meant for communion. Like Martha, we can become busy serving yet miss sitting at the Master’s feet, where true fire burns.

A broken altar shows in prayerlessness, loss of hunger for God’s Word, compromise, and spiritual coldness. But the good news is that the altar can be rebuilt, and the fire can burn again. All it takes is repentance, humility, and a fresh return to God’s presence.

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.” – Revelation 2:5

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for neglecting Your altar in my heart. Restore my hunger for You and rekindle the fire of devotion within me.

Let my heart burn again with love, passion, and purity. May Your altar in me never go out in Jesus’, Amen.

Adeolu Bakare