The season of repentance. - we wash our outward bodies in order to look and smell nice as we go out into the world around us. But how many of us are walking around just gorgeous on the outside but the stench of sin reeking within us? As the shofar blasts this season, let us heed the call to improve and beautify ourselves, not only outwardly but from our ignorance of and rebellion against God's perfect will for our lives. Let's ask the Lord to do some revealing and cleansing in our hearts and lives as we continue in the season of repentance

What's is that awful smell?

"Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." - 2 Corinthians 7:1

As we celebrated Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) and are in the midst of "Yamin Noraim" or the days of awe, the days between the Feast of Trumpets and Yom Kippur, it is the season of repentance.

This is the season that the shofar (ram's horn) is blown to heed the call of warning to repent from our sins and be clean. 

The shofar's unique sounding blast is a wake-up call to all who will hear.

Those of you who know what a shofar looks like, know it's quite intriguing. 

As a matter of fact, I have a shofar displayed on a shelf in my living room as a centerpiece (and a reminder) and most who enter often comment on its beauty. 

My wife makes sure our shofar is dusted and shined it to keep it looking its best.

However, I don't know how many of you have ever smelled the odor of a ram's horn before it's properly cleaned, but I can tell you from personal experience that it is by far one of the most putrid, revolting and rancid smelling things I've smelled in my lifetime. 

And it is a common dilemma among shofar owners as to how best to rid it of that awful smell.

Some say washing it out with vinegar does the trick, others say soaking your shofar in alcohol guarantees a clean smell, and still others firmly stand by some strange hodgepodge of ingredients they've concocted.

Interestingly enough, the Hebrew root of the word shofar is the word "shifra", which means to beautify, which is directly related to the Hebrew word "shapair" which means to improve!

Now, I think most of us remember to wash our outward bodies in order to look and smell nice as we go out into the world around us. 

But how many of us are walking around just gorgeous on the outside but the stench of sin reeking within us?

As the shofar blasts this season, let us heed the call to improve and beautify ourselves, not only outwardly but from our ignorance of and rebellion against God's perfect will for our lives.

There is much work to be done for the Kingdom and we can't accomplish any of it with our outward beauty!

Let's ask the Lord to do some revealing and cleansing in our hearts and lives as we continue in the season of repentance.

Worthy Devotions is a daily devotional ministry delivering inspiring, uplifting, and encouraging messages straight from Israel.

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Feast of Trumpets - “the day or hour that no man knows” - believers suddenly disappear from the earth. Many Christians will be caught unawares by the Rapture event because they’re not walking in light of biblical prophecies and they do not understand the times concerning the restoration of Israel. The patterns of the Feasts of the LORD would help to ground believers biblically to understand the times. Christians should be familiar with the LORD’s Levitical Festivals. Jesus observed all of these festivals

Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement - the name “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” and it is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the sins of the past year. Yom Kippur is a Sabbath day; no work can be performed on the day of Yom Kippur. During the holiday Jews fast for approximately 24 hours, from sundown to sundown. The only time the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies. The origins of Yom Kippur are unclear. It is not mentioned in the list of holidays to be observed when the Temple destroyed by the Babylonians was rebuilt

The Lord Will Do A New Thing - the nature of life is to repeat itself - to continue in a cycle. Although time is moving in a direction toward a definite destiny determined by the Creator, it does so in cycles. So, entering this new year, a fresh cycle, we may also grasp the opportunity to change, to do something radically new and different. New beginnings are a time for new choices, new experiences, new hopes, and dreams. Our Lord is really on top of things. He can even redeem our mistakes. We ought to be filled with expectation for change, great change in our lives, by His divine power to work in and through us