Genesis 22: 2 “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” New American Standard (NAS)
On December 31, 1999, we spent the last day of the decade, century, and millennium in a naturally sacred place, the Grand Canyon and Sedona, Arizona. One of the greatest wonders of the world, there are no words to describe the colors, sun rises and settings and how the rocks lighten, color and darken throughout a day. Even driving to the Canyon seems to fill everyone with a sense of wonder and anticipation. You cannot wait for the “best” views but pull into the first turn-outs there are on the road to start taking pictures of the views. Each stop brings a new vista and by the end of a day, my senses were exhausted.
We returned to Sedona and watched fireworks both on television and outside in the cold Arizona evening. The next day was warmer and the red rocks around Sedona burned in the warm afternoon sun as we hiked trails along a small stream.
The cairns became visible along the creek. Cairns have been used for centuries as a directional guide along paths with unclear or multiple options. They are piles of rocks, each one smaller than the other that is placed by travelers to help them know the correct way to go. But this was different. There were hundreds of cairns near this stream, built by travelers to tell others, “I have been here”. It was one of those places of rare light and energy in this world called a vortex. The “altars” to the nature gods are not in my belief system, but we stayed in this area for at least an h0urand built our own cairns to thank God for the beauty of His creation.
Have you ever stopped and worshipped at a special place in nature where you are in awe of God’s creation? Have you built an altar of praise to God in nature or in your home? Where would you put an altar?