He Will Be My God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HE WILL BE MY GOD

Gen 28:18-22

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. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. 20 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 21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD  will be my God 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."

NIV

We are not sure that it is a good idea to do an, “if” with God. We see that is what Jacob did and we can be sure that God did do all that Jacob put him to the test. Of course, Jacob also made a vow and we know that it would be better that our yes meant yes and our no meant no, rather than vowing to God. Solomon said that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. We would think Jacob fully intended to keep this vow. Still, we do not have to wonder or say if God will be with us and watch over us on our journey. We also do not have to wonder if God will give us food to eat and clothes to wear, and for that matter that includes a place to live. Since we turned from our wicked ways and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God has been providing for us in every one of those ways. He has also been a lamp onto our feet directing us to where we should live and most importantly, where we should worship. Perhaps we should say where we engage in corporate worship in church, for we should be living a worshipful life daily. How can we not always be in worship of our God when he is always involved in watching over us and providing us with abundant life, both this one and especially the one to come? We see that in that Jacob was asking to return safely to his father’s house. Jacob made that statement with that “if”, God would do all that, then the Lord would be his God, or Yahweh would be his Elohiym. This is the supreme creator of all things, who we know as Jesus, would be his one true ruler, judge, God. We know because we are in Christ, that is we are born-again, followers of Jesus that we will return safely to our Father’s house. In fact, Jesus is coming back to take us there so that where he is, we will be also. What a promise we live with, knowing God is our God and his house is our house. We do not need to set up a pillar for God is making us into a pillar in his temple. However, in the meantime, we also have decided that we will give a tenth of all that he gives us. Normally, we consider that to be a tenth of our income, however, we wonder if a tenth of our time is enough, or a tenth of the gift of talent he has given to us is enough. For that matter is a tenth of our life enough? We think that we have dedicated our lives to serving His kingdom, yet that is not our guarantee of salvation, for it is by faith in Jesus Christ and faith alone that brings us salvation, and Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us as the guarantee. Thank you, Lord, for all you do for us, in us, and even through us. The one thing left to say is that Jacob rose early in the morning to make a pillar onto God. We should always remember that we rise early in the morning to praise our Lord.