Tabernacle Prayer: Come to the Cross

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date March 9, 2021
63 Comments on Tabernacle Prayer: Come to the Cross

“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.” Exodus 27:1-2 (ESV)

When you think about relationships, there are different levels of intimacy. Some relationships are emotionally distant and surfaced whereas some relationships have the capacity to be more consistent and feature an element of closeness. Then there are those relationships where the interaction is meaningful, transparent, and magnetic.

The Encarta Dictionary defines the word intimacy as a close personal relationship; a detailed knowledge resulting from a close or long association. One of my favorite definitions of intimacy is: “in to me you see.”

God desires intimacy with you. In the Old Testament, the portrait of intimacy was the formation and utilization of the Tabernacle. God made a way for His people to experience intimacy with Him through a religious relationship.

As you pray through the Tabernacle, the first item you encounter is the altar of burnt offering where sacrifices were made. The New Testament equivalent is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for your sin. As you pray through the Tabernacle, spend some time at the “altar of burnt offering” to praise God for His ultimate love gift and for Jesus being willing to pay the penalty for your sin.

Station 1: The Altar of Burnt Offering

Acknowledge the Sacrificial Death of Christ

As you begin your prayer time, go to the altar of burnt offering and make the connection to the cross. Verbalize in prayer to God your acknowledgement of the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV).

Begin to thank God for demonstrating His unconditional love by offering His One and Only Son on the cross to pay the penalty of your sin. Acknowledge God’s initiative in building the ultimate love bridge to rescue you. In prayer, express your deep abiding appreciation for God’s persistent pursuit of you with His redeeming love.

Express gratitude to Jesus for being willing to submit to the Father’s will and for being willing to take on the full wrath of God for your sin. Thank the Lord for each wound in His body and what it redeemed you from. Express your appreciation to the Lord for His willingness to be obedient to death on the cross. Worship the Lord and adore Him for His generosity in removing your sin and imputing His righteousness. Ascribe worth to Jesus for your new identity and for the eternal security that He purchased for you.

Cry out to God by using the most intimate term, Abba. That’s just like saying “Daddy” to your Heavenly Father. God loves you so much and He made it possible through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross for you to come into an intimate relationship with Him. Consecrate yourself before the cross and acknowledge the sacrificial death of Christ that changed your current and future reality.

You determine the level of intimacy with God. As you draw near to God, He will draw near to you (James 4:8). God took the initiative to provide the way for you to enjoy an intimate love relationship with Him through faith in Jesus. What are you doing with the relationship God has made available to you?

Following Jesus Every Day,

Stephen Trammell