Nougat 30

Hi dears

I pray you well.

Previously we saw Jacob feeling threatened and embarrassed by his sons’ response to the rape of Dinah. He too was distressed about Dinah’s rape; but we are not certain how he would have responded, since the boys took action.

Now here we ere, at the dawn of another journey … please receive today’s Holy Nougat

“Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.”” Genesis 35:1 NLT

My dears, we met Bethel before. It was the place of the covenant. Jacob’s covenant. Where God assured him of God’s ongoing presence and Jacob made very distinct conditional promises. 20 years later; Jacob forgot.

Forgot his request for safe passage back Home; the land of his birthright.

Forgot his promise to worship God for himself, and not a distant God of his father Isaac.

Forgot his purpose; to create a worship space and dwelling place for God right there at Bethel.

Forgot the subsequent meeting with God where he wrestled and was renamed Israel.

All forgotten when he lost focus from faith to fuel fear.

And in his fear-driven forgetfulness, Jacob was out of alignment with God. A position that cost him his daughter’s peace of mind and his reputation.

God had to reroute Jacob once again. And in the process, God reminded Jacob of Jacob’s promise.

Not that every single case of calamity is rooted in misalignment. But it bears considering whether some of our experiences were connected to us being out of alignment with God. Let’s pause for a moment and consider whether we are in alignment with God.

Did we make promises when we formally accepted Christ in our lives? Now we have to consider whether we have kept those promises we made to God. Can we dig past the forgetfulness to the root of our becoming misaligned?

Could it be that it’s time for us to honor our promises to God? If yes, rest assured, it’s not too late for our God still waits.

In Christ’s love and grace . . .