The Altar

The Altar

Robert L. Withers; December 6, 2017

Let my heart be an altar

On which the fire of love for You,

Of worship and of praise,

Shall never die or smolder,

But rather shall ascend to You

With increasing fervent

Heat and light.

May  this altar radiate warmth for others,

And may its flames direct

Their eyes upward to You.

Let the fire of Your Holy Spirit

On this altar consume all

That is not of you, and let the

Son of Man be seen in its flames.

Oh may the hot lava of Your love

Flow from this altar.

Purifying and renewing my mind,

Burning away blindness from my eyes.

May Your Word from the altar

Shine a pathway for my feet,

Guiding the work of my hands,

Infusing my tongue and lips with life.

Behold the dwelling place of God is in man,

And man comes home to live in God.

Heaven and earth kiss each other.

The Word was made flesh,

Is being made flesh;

Christ in you, Christ in me, Christ in us.

Let my heart be Your altar,

Let it know no unholy fire.

Guard it, protect it, watch over it,

Let Your Holy Spirit and Your Word tend it;

May it be joined with other hearts and altars,

And by Your grace may we set souls aflame

With the fire of Your love in Jesus Christ.