“So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD” (Genesis 13:18)
Abraham was a nomad, living in a tent and moving from time to time with the cattle. In Genesis 13:18, we read how he settled by the oaks of Mamre. But for Abraham, his tent, some wonderful shade-providing trees, and sufficient grass for this cattle were not sufficient to create a good dwelling place. He also built an altar to the Lord.
Some chapters later, we read a similar text. Abraham moves to Beersheba, plants a tree there — and calls on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33). Abraham’s son and grandson do the same when they move to a new territory (Genesis 26:25, 33:19-20).
Nowadays, Christians don’t need to build altars anymore. But the basic principle is still valuable: it is not sufficient to have a nice home in a pleasant neighborhood. Wherever you move to, seek a church that you can attend and fellow believers who can be your ‘spiritual family’. That is just as important as finding a comfortable home and providing for your material needs!
Do you have an “altar”, a place to worship the Lord, in your vicinity? If not, try to find one!