Friday, June 10, 2011

Genesis 28:15 & Genesis 29:1

We’re going to go back and reflect on one verse from yesterday’s passage, verse 15:

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

This promise is one repeated throughout scripture. I was ready to move on to chapter 29, but, thanks to Beth Moore, when I reviewed my workbook on this passage from her study, The Patriarchs, I realized I needed to stay here a minute longer. Just like Jacob, it takes us a while to figure out that God is indeed with us! Just as Jacob spoke of God in third person throughout most of his vow, we seem to get stuck in that same mindset when we pray and even throughout our days. Even though we know in our heads that God has promised over and over to never leave us, we don’t always act like we believe it, do we?

Beth Moore reminded me that we have God’s promises in black and white! We have the benefit of flipping pages and finding them staring us in the face. Jacob had the memory of his encounter, but not a Bible to hold in his hand and continually read. A couple of the passages Beth refers to are these, which she says even exceed the promise made to Jacob:

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matt 1:22-23)


Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:19-20)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16-18)

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Tim 4:18)

The last one reminds me that God has promised to take us through to the very end of our lives here on earth, then usher us safely into His kingdom. In other words, He will finish what He begins in us. This is the promise of one of my life verses, Phil 1:6.

. . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.


God KNOWS where He’s taking us! He WILL finish the work He has started in us. Do we believe it? Then it should make a difference in how we walk through our days! We should be modeling the confidence that these promises bring. Be patient! Through all of our highs and lows, He is working in us and through us to make us ready to meet Him face to face! That’s an encounter I can’t wait for!

How did this promise affect the way Jacob walked? Well, as we look at the first verse in chapter 29, we’re going to look at the Amplified Bible version (not because I’m so smart, but because that’s what Beth Moore recommended!):

THEN JACOB went [briskly and cheerfully] on his way [400 miles] and came to the land of the people of the East.

I LOVE that!!! I need to walk briskly and cheerfully this morning, or I’m going to be late for work!! Love to you all!

 

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