Today’s devotion comes rom Genesis 35:1-4.
“Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.” Genesis 35:1-4.
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In today’s Scripture, Jacob had to move. We remember the prior Scripture. “Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” Genesis 34:30.
But, it was more than just a move. “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, …”.
Applying this Scripture to us, sometimes, we need a second chance, a fresh start. So to speak, we need to put away our foreign gods, purify ourselves, move or turn, and replace a bad activity with a good activity. In a word, we need to repent.
But, there is hope!
God grants repentance. God gives us the will to do so. God works within us for His good pleasure.
“He ((Jesus) is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31.
“When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” Acts 11:8.
“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.
Repentance involves more than being sorry for sins and asking for forgiveness. Repentance involves changing direction from wickedness to righteousness and replacing a bad activity with a good activity: “… that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.” Acts 26:20.
Jacob said: “I will make an altar there to God”.
What will be our altar? What will be our good activity to replace the bad activity? What will be our “deeds appropriate to repentance”?
It is easier to stop a bad activity than to both think of what good activity to do and to consistently do it.
But, there is more hope!
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:13.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 