How do we approach a Holy God? How should we repent? How should we worship Him? Where do we begin?
2 Kings 23:1-3 And the king sent. And they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. And the king went up into the house of Jehovah.
And all the men of Judah and all the people of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets, and all the people, from the small even to the great. And he read all the Words of the Book of the covenant which was found in the house of Jehovah in their ears.
First, we begin by meditating on God’s Holy Word. We must humbly surrender to His Word, not just listen to it being read. Too many listen but fail to let it penetrate into their hearts or change their lives.
And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the Words of this covenant which was written in this Book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
You cannot listen with your self-righteousness blinding you to your sin. You must put all your traditions, man-made rules, and misunderstandings aside. You must become like a blank slate and let God write His laws on your heart. James, the half-brother of Jesus was inspired to give this godly advice.
James 1:19-26 Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man does not work out the righteousness of God. Therefore putting aside all filthiness and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls.
But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror. For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like.
But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.
If anyone thinks to be religious among you, yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is vain.