Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears.
Genesis 35:2–4
Evidently, Jacob’s family had added pagan gods and trinkets to the idols Rachel had stolen from her father. Here, Jacob says, “We’re going to Bethel. We’re going to the house of God. So give me all of those earrings and bracelets and stuff you picked up from the heathens.”
Notice God didn’t say to Jacob, “If you deal with the pagan gods in your family, then I might give you a second chance.” No, God simply said, “Rise and let us go to Bethel.”
Perhaps it was because Jacob was so amazed by this that he said, “It’s time to clean up, not so God will call us, but because He has called us.”
That’s what grace does. When I realize how kind and good and benevolent and merciful God is to me day after day after day, it causes me to want to put away my trinkets and toys that are not of Him. Too often, we think, I’ve got to get my life cleaned up and maybe then I can hear God’s voice; maybe then He’ll lead me again. No. God is ready to lead us today right where we are, and because of that we say, “Lord, You’re so good. I don’t want the things of the world anymore.”
By Pastor Jon Courson.
