We Come To That Certain Place

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22 - Jacob dreams of the ladder extending to heaven from earth. God promises Jacob to give him the covenantal promises of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob's response.

Observation: This journal will be a bit different. It seems that within this text is a great representation of encountering God, God's revelation, and man's response.


Encounter
1.      
          - Verse 11 says Jacob "came to a certain place". Every person that exists, that has ever existed, and that will exist has a certain place where they meet God. I suppose very few people, if any, have only one place, but all encounter Him somewhere.
          - Jacob came to his place by no choice of his own; circumstances which were in the Lord's control placed him there.
          - Jacob was merely going through his normal daily experience when he met God (vs. 11).

Revelation
2. God comes to us with a declaration of His own character and follows that with a call for us to draw near to Him for the satisfaction of our heart and soul (John 6:35). He promises true and great success as a product of that relationship (John 6:35, 40), (vs 13-15).

The remaining steps only happen to those whom the Lord draws (John 6:44).

Response
3. Jacob chose to respond in faith. He immediately began to praise what he knew of God. He would learn more later (John 6:45).

4. Jacob then chose to set his desires right. He asked that God merely provide for his needs and repair the damage in his life. Jacob had strife on all sides of his life and so he asked that God grant him peace (vs. 20-21).

5. Jacob recognized that all of his material possessions belonged to God and he vowed to honor God with them.

Application: Steps 1 and 2 are God's work; 3 through 5 are for me (and everyone else). It will look different for each person, and yet it will look the same as well.

1. There must always be audible and visible praise to God for who He is, not just for what He does.

2. There must always be a change of heart and mind that results in a demonstration of faith and a declaration to pursuing God (even if only for a time God alone knows of the declaration).

3. There must always be a surrendering of this present life looking unto the life that God promises to give us in replacement and in eternity.

If those three are absent, then faith is not genuine, salvation will be false, and eternal life will not be granted by the Lord.

Prayer: With all that I am able to give, I give my life to You. Please increase my faith. Teach me to fulfill all the law by loving You and those around me. May my praise of You be heard and seen! Lead me and I will follow - by Your grace. I love You. Amen.