"Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.' And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.'"
Lord, You have truly sent me to a place where a ladder is set upon the earth and it reaches heaven. It is Bethel, a house of God, where angels ascend and descend. Surely the Lord is here, for I feel Your presence all around and know the wonders You have done. You have established this place as a house of prayer, intercession, and worship. It is consecrated to be set apart and holy, where men come to tremble and be held in aww. For how awesome is Your righteous name and might hand! We are at the gate of heaven, where you hear our cries O Lord to intervene. We are asking You to rend the heavens and come down. Be gracious, slow to anger, rich in love, and good to us. For this is Your character and how You treat Your elect. You love mercy and righteousness, pouring out justice where You will. So bless these people of Your tabernacle, for You say You are with us and will keep us wherever we go. For surely this is none other than the house of the Lord, the governmental center, where we shake the heavens and thus shake the earth and where we stand in the gap to usher in the coming of the Bridegroom.
"Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.'"
We often times try to treat God like Jacob treated his father Isaac. We try coming before Him by disguising ourselves from who we really are, searching for a blessing that we do not deserve. We think if we present ourselves with the right garments, the correct tone, and the perfect offering, then God the Father will bless us with whatever we desire. We are searching for a long, healthy, and happy life where every want is met, and we go to great lengths to push the right buttons of God to receive what we crave. In trying to deceive God, we essentially deceive ourselves. We think if we give our presentation to God of false humility and false righteousness then God will be pleased. We believe God will for some reason bless us because of our self-dignified standing. Well, God is not like Isaac in that He is not blind and He has perfect vision and clarity for who we truly are. He knows every thought, act, and motive that we approach Him with. However, the difference is that we are not completely like Jacob either, for Christ's death on the cross has put us in right standing with God. We are his first-born heirs and He desires to bless us with every blessing that He gives His Son Jesus. We do not need to try and deceive God the Father for He already sees us like Jesus the first-born Son. He has given us the dew of heaven, the fatness of earth, and plenty of grain and wine.
"Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.'"
The Lord told Abraham to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that the Lord would specify. And as both father and son approached the mountain with fire, wood, and knife in hand, Isaac asked his father, "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham responded by saying that God would provide the lamb. They then came to the place, which God had told him, and built the altar, laid the wood in order, and Abraham bound Isaac his son on top of it. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son, but the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And then Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns and he took it to offer up as a burnt offering instead of his son, declaring that place, "The Lord will provide." Two thousand years later God the Father did the same thing by providing for those He loved, but this time He provided His one and only Son. Rather than father Abraham providing his son Isaac as the sacrifice for himself, Abba God provided His Son Jesus Christ as the redemption for all mankind. God provided for Himself and His creation, the Eternal and Spotless Lamb, who came to take away the sins of the world. The Lord foreshadowed it in the days of Abraham by finding a substitute for our debt and transgressions. Instead of sacrificing all of creation He sacrificed His Son who was before creation. He took our place on that altar of wood and shed His blood as an offering of atonement for the creation that He so desperately loves.
"So keep courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."
If Abraham knew the promise and covenant that God would make him a great nation through him and his wife then why did Abraham not trust that it would come to pass? This is also the second time that he manipulates a king by telling them Sarah is his sister and leaving out the huge detail that she is also his wife. He fears the thoughts of man and that God cannot live up to His side of the bargain. He cowers at those he thinks are not fearful of God and he is rather fearful for his own life. We judge and criticize the sins and faults of those from the past, but how quick we are to forget the things of history. We say, "How could they do such a thing?" and "What were they thinking?" However, we are just as susceptible and prone to the flaws of our ancestors. How often do we tell half-truths and straight lies after we have been given a promise from God? He tells us something about our future and we try to maneuver our way to make it come to pass more quickly. Or we resort to sin to try and justify a good outcome, neglecting God's will or His sovereign hand. Lord, may I trust you all of my days and not try to manipulate others to bring about the promises You have for my life. Let me work in accordance to Your way, Your timing, and Your will.
"And as they brought them out, one said, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away."
Lord, do not let me be like Lot's wife, turning back to see what's been left behind. Let me look ahead to what You have for me in the future and not at what I've done for myself in the past. I ant to run to the hills and not stay in the valley. I do not want to become frozen in the midst of me fleeing from wickedness and pursuing righteousness. For at that moment I will stumble and fall, being tempted by what's been left behind. I do not want to have staggering thoughts that reflect on my past and on my sin. For all that it produces is idleness and a lack of productivity. Rather let me press on ahead for what God has ordained for my life. His ways are righteous, His path is purposeful, and His steps are filled with blessing. Following the Holy Spirit's guidance leads to life, not just life, but a bountiful life. Let us rise out of darkness and into the light, looking to what Christ has ahead; a life where we will reign in holiness and truth.
"Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.'"
What a promise and a test of faith that the Lord gave Abram. He called him to leave everything he had ever known, but still gave him a promise of great abundance and blessing. Father, You assured Abram that if he left it all behind that You would provide for him and bless him beyond measure. You promised him that You would make his name great and make him a great nation, raising him up as a blessing to all the families of the earth. Lord, I desire the promise of provision and blessing that You gave Abram. Allow me to go from my country and show me the land that You have for me. I am willing, I am eager, and I will go. Let me give extravagantly of all that You have blessed me with, for I can never out give You. Convict me to give more and live on less because when I have You nothing else has significance or worth. My value is found in You, for You are my portion and my blessing. And when I am blessed by You may it be an opportunity to bless others. The name and the nation I do not care, but the blessing is what I desire.
"In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering."
Lord, what labor is it that you are calling me to and what first fruits do you desire? What is the sacrifice that you require? Is it more than just to love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly? What do you seek from my hands, my sweat, and my mind? How am I to bless You in my seep and in my wake? Don't let me be satisfied by just giving you a portion of my labor and my tithe, but make me eager to go over and beyond my normal tendencies. I want to give you my finest portions and my first fruits. Lord, take regard for my offering and convict me on what I still haven't given up. And always cause me to do well, so that I will be accepted and sin will not be crouching at my door. Cause Your desire for me to overshadow and obliterate sin's desire for me. Create opportunities to give extravagantly to those in need and open doors to be able to invest into Your kingdom. I want to give You not only all my mind, strength, and heart, but also my time, resources, and finances. May I find delight in giving back to You what You have already given me.
