What is worship? The patriarchs may have experienced God in worship in a similar way we do, but the actions they took in the practice of worship were different than ours. Consider the enigmatic account of Jacob in Genesis 35.
 
Monday – Genesis 35:1-3
God reveals himself to Jacob and tells him to ‘go back’ to a place where you once encountered the Lord. Is it possible that the act of ‘putting away the idols’, or sin and lapsed behavior, as well as the journey itself, was part of the worship process? If so, how does that parallel aspects of your own spiritual ‘walk’?
Ask the Lord to show you the ‘gods’ you are holding on to, and then repent.
 
Tuesday – Genesis 35:4-7
When Jacob arrived, he built an altar. It would have been a stone altar. How important is an altar in the practice of worship? What is an altar for? Jacob named the place ‘El-Bethel,’ which literally means ‘The God of the house of God.’ What is Jacob trying to say with this naming?
Pray for this upcoming Sunday, that you will have an encounter with the Lord in worship.
 
Wednesday – Genesis 35:8
In context, this verse doesn’t appear to have much to do with the adjoining passages of worship, but of course it does. Rebekah is Jacob’s mother, and the Bible doesn’t tell us when she died, but it does mention her nurse. It is likely the nurse was a powerful influence in Jacob’s own life. The point today is, in our sorrow and grief, worship flows as a healing balm.
Pray for someone who experiences grief and the pain of loss, particularly pray for them to experience the presence of God in worship.
 
Thursday – Genesis 35:9-12
Again, Jacob experiences the presence of God in worship, and this time there is a name change. This is an echo, a reaffirmation of the struggle in Genesis 32, and as such, it is a reminder of identity. How can worship shape our identity as an individuals? As a group?
Talk to the Lord about who you are, your own identity, in Christ.
 
Friday – Genesis 35:13-15
God departs, and Jacob builds another altar, this time called a pillar. Cross-reference this as well with Genesis 35:19 and the earlier discussion about worship in sorrow. But for now, think about the altar and what Jacob put on it. The drink offering is probably wine. What symbolism might wine and oil have? Does the symbolism change if the offering were water? Or milk?
Last Sunday we observed Holy Communion. Spend a moment reflecting on that observance and how meaningful it is; or, alternately, confess that you didn’t take it seriously enough.
Open the email from this week marked ‘Prayer and Praises’ and pray through the prayer list, then pray the Lord’s Prayer.