Genesis 28: 16-22 - When
Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in
this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid
and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of
God; this is the gate of heaven.” Early the next
morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a
pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though
the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a
vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this
journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I
return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my
God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house…
Jacob….sent away to find a wife from his mother’s family
back home…stopped to rest one night. God appeared to him in a dream and
repeated the promise he had made to his grandfather. He had one of those
defining moments of faith…where he began to believe in God for his care and
provision…instead of depending on his own logic or the deceptive plans of his
mother.
Jacob still doesn’t get the full ramifications of God’s
promise to him…but at least he understands that God is bigger than blessings
and birthrights…and is ready to let him become his caregiver and Lord. His ..IF…is
a confirmation that he understands what God has said to him. He even makes a serious response to God’s
words…a vow that God will be his Lord.
It reminds me of the moment I became a Christian… that
moment when you hear God’s still small voice for the first time and your feet
respond to his call to be your savior and Lord. I was 14….struggling with the
fact that I had walked an isle at 7 and been baptized at an early age…not sure
of my salvation even though I was a worker bee in many ministries and programs
at church. It was an epiphany of realization that I could hide from no longer…I
had to be sure that God was going to be a full part of my life. In that moment
I said yes…and we began to have a relationship where God would train and teach
me everything I needed to know to live for him completely.
It’s a great reminder to reflect on whether I have indeed
made God my Lord in everything about my life. God sure has taken care of me
through the years…I have everything I need. I may have wanted a few things that
I didn’t get…but I am realizing that God knows best….and question less and less
the no answers I get in life. It is a reminder that the vow I made to God
formed a permanent relationship that will be one sided if I do not do my part
to nourish it with prayer and Bible study.
Father…thank you for the reminder that I made a vow to you…for
you to be my Lord. Forgive me for the
times that I have taken that vow for granted...not doing my part to strengthen
and help it grow. Help me to take my vow to you more seriously…and come to you
daily in prayer and study of your word…so that you can help me learn more about
the love I need to power a life that puts you first. Amen.
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