Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him.
And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel.
Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.
The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”
Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.
Genesis 35:9-15 (NKJV)
Imagine that you are Jacob. This is not your first encounter with Almighty God. You met Him when you were running for your life from your brother Esau. Now you are going back home and God appears to you again—to bless you. You are about to hear a message that will encourage you, and this Person who is speaking to you is the Creator of all things. The One who formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his newly formed nostrils, and he became a living, talking, walking, thinking, creative, breathing soul.
This One is the One that holds your life in His hands. This One who spoke the world into existence is talking to you. Can you imagine? Do you think that Jacob took the word from the Lord lightly? Did he shrug off His words and go on his merry way? I don’t think so.
Is God’s Promise Real?
We should never take the Word of God lightly. It is the Word of the Almighty God to us. It should be taken personally. Do you really believe that God would make a promise to you that He did not intend to keep? His word is for you – never doubt it.
Also, we should never take the presence of God flippantly. When we find ourselves in the awesome presence of God, the Holy Spirit, it is vital to we be reverent before Him. To do otherwise will quench the Spirit and grieve Him. Think how privileged we are to be in His presence. Can you imagine? Know that “Our God is an awesome God,” and that He loves you more than you can imagine. Be blessed in His presence today.
