Hi
Sometimes forgetitis occurs because there’s a time lapse between our promise and its fulfillment. But some promises are worth remembering; don’t you think? Consider today’s Holy Nougat
“Surprisingly, ADONAI was standing on top of it and He said, “I am ADONAI, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your seed … Behold, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I promised you.”” Genesis 28:13, 15 TLV
So, if we check the ‘time stamp’ on Jacob’s epiphany, we note that it occurred before his conditional promise to God and some time before his return home. Perhaps that explains why he had the case of forgetitis – some 20 years had passed. When we read the fuller version of the vision though, it seems somewhat unlikely that Jacob would have forgotten the experience. He even set up an altar to mark the spot.
Can we recall our first or most intense (powerful) God experience? Or should I ask have we ever had a personal, powerful God experience? What was it like? Did God speak directly with us? Do we even remember the gist of what was said? What was happening in our lives at the time? How do we know that it was God whom we met?
In Jacob‘s encounter, he had just been summarily ‘banished’ to protect him from the well-earned wrath of his brother. It may have been his first time away; definitely his first time being away indefinitely and he might have been feeling a little forsaken. Operatively, he was alone, had nothing in terms of great possessions with him and he had left all he worked for and held dear Behind. The inheritance, his mom, everything.
It might have been scary.
Then God appeared.
God declared God’s identity (almost always God is shown to do that – is it our doubt; or simply confirming that we aren’t with the counterfeit?) and proceeded to assure Jacob that he was IN covenant despite messing up. In fact, God established a slightly different covenant with Jacob than the one with Abraham, although it aligned with Isaac’s second blessing in verse 4. AND, God also promised to be with Jacob EVERY step of the way until the promise was fulfilled! Now that’s awesome!
And that’s the bit that we most often forget; perhaps because of our interpretation of with. It is so very easy to presume that God being WITH us means that we are going to be hardship, trial or even stress FREE. Not! With means alongside. Available at ALL times. Ride even unto death. Ready when we need; no appointment necessary.
Of course, we may find it easier to sense God’s presence and to be assured that we are NOT forsaken by calling on God’s name when our way gets murky. And, if we wonder why; just think – we may have every emergency equipment for any eventuality in our lives, even Covid-19, but until we USE the equipment, we cannot know that it works. God is with us, giving strength and succor for every single journey we make and take. But we won’t know we’re not forsaken if we fail to call on God.
So, how about it? Will we call on God today?
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
