Whenever we know guests are coming to stay with us, the whole family pitches in getting ready for the visitors. Bathrooms are cleaned, clothes picked up, beds made, windows cleaned, floors mopped, and carpets vacuumed. The process takes a lot of effort. Sometimes I wonder if all the prep work is really worth it. But when our guests come and enjoy our clean house and our hospitality, it feels great.
Israel was expecting a guest in Exodus 19:10-14. This guest was God, who was coming to make Himself known to Israel. How in the world were the Israelites to prepare for God? Fortunately, He gave them some tips as to how they should get ready. The advice was actually the difference between life and death for the Israelites. God wanted them to experience His presence. It was an opportunity for God to introduce Himself to the people who would be His possession. But for this to happen, serious preparation had to occur.
Since Jesus came, the Holy Spirit now makes His dwelling within us. But to entertain God’s presence within us, we must seriously consider preparation. We can’t treat God flippantly or irreverently. He is holy. And with respect to His holiness, we must reflect on the condition of our hearts. We must learn how to cast aside all other cares, so that we can focus on Him.