Preparing to Worship

One thing I noticed today as I was reading. In Gen 35:2 Jacob is beginning to "get it", he is starting to understand that the God who has been "following him around wherever he goes" has a plan. It is starting to dawn on him that because God is the one who has protected him, guided him and blessed him and He is the one that Jacob should be worshipping. So he gives instructions to his entire household and all who are with him to prepare themselves to enter into God's presence. He tells them 3 things to do. These 3 things are also good guidance for us as we prepare to daily enter into God's presence and worship Him.


1. Put away the foreign gods: What are those things in our lives that we give most importance to? What are the ideas and attitudes that we bow to each day? Anything that separates us from God, anything that keeps us from complete surrender to the One True God must be put away.

2. Purify yourselves: We have been given the opportunity to do just this through the sacrifice of Jesus. He has offered the perfect sacrifice and through repentance we can be purified, made clean in God's sight.

3. Change your garments: Change on the outside represents the change on the inside. When we put away the foreign gods and repent, we are transformed on the inside. Then our outward appearance, actions, and words will change to reflect the inward change.

Jacob was beginning to understand that walking with God makes us different, makes us better, makes us happier, makes us more like His Son. Let's enjoy the walk.