Genesis 28:18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.
Jacob is setting up an if/then relationship with God in today’s passages. IF God does this, THEN I will praise Him. Unfortunately, Christians have done the same for centuries. I think the biggest area where we fail is when it comes to hardships and pain. Somehow, it often gets twisted up in our minds that IF God loved us, THEN we would be shielded from pain.
Genesis 28:19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.
Sometimes it takes a crisis of the soul to fully come to terms with the fact that God doesn’t promise us a trouble free life, but He DOES promise to be with us, to never leave us, to never forsake us. He doesn’t promise that we won’t feel pain or sorrow, but He DOES promise that we will never face it alone, that He will ALWAYS be with us.
Genesis 28:20-21 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God
Precious Savior, Forgive me when I forget that You freely gave Your only Son so that I could be restored to You. You understand that pain and loss on a deep, deep level. Forgive me my anger when I have to wade through soul-crushing pain in this life. Thank You that You are with me. Always. Thank You that I never have to face a day without You by my side. Amen.
Genesis 28:22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”
Have a blessed day.