Druids' Altar, Bordley

Before one of our meetings at Hetton Chapel, I went walking from that village through Bordley towards Malham. I was pleased to see a group of ancient standing stones, which I have since learned are called the Druids' Altar. Although a site's association with the druidic caste is often fanciful, the four stones do look like posts to support a horizontal fifth, upon which sacrifice and offerings might have been made. Sources date it to the bronze age, which means anywhere from 2500-700BC. Those of us who know the scriptures might therefore consider it contemporary to David and Solomon, or even Abraham. If it was a place of sacrifice, animals rather than people were the likely victims. As I pondered this, I beheld a sheep leap atop a neighbouring stone wall, something I may not have believed had I not seen it. Few animals would have desired to acsend that ancient altar, but this sheep had fewer qualms about climbing those stones.

Paul urges the Roman Christians in 12:1:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

I suspect that, apart from the inevitable, immediate fear, it is easier to die for Christ than to live for Him, with the raft of temptations, persecutions, trials and tedium we must daily face. That sheep spent some effort mounting the wall, but he was more useful alive than dead. So live for Jesus; you will die in Him when the time is right, and only die for Him should providence demand it. 

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12

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