Genesis
28:15
“Behold, I
am with thee…” This
very statement should provide a source of strength for those who feel like
giving up, this should provide energy for those who feel they have none left
and hope for those who think they are lost… God is with you, through the good
and the bad, the ups and the downs He is right by your side… Jacob has fled
from the hands of Esau and at this point feels helpless and hopeless; however
God informs Jacob of the same things that we need to be informed of when we
face hardships, “He’s still with us…” Today’s focus verse deals with the
promised blessings that a child of God will receive, but also shines light on
the trials and storms that we will encounter to get there… In the verses which
precede this one, Isaac has given the first born blessing to Jacob instead of
Esau; Esau burned with anger toward Jacob and as a result Jacob fled… We find
Jacob on his journey to Paddam Aram to the house of Laban… Jacob stops to sleep
and uses a rock as his pillow, during his time of rest; God appears to him and
speaks the words which are recorded in this verse… It is a blessing for us to
know that God is always with us, but let us understand what that means… To
often we associate God being with us to mean that we won’t have to deal with
struggles or hardships, on the contrary we are reminded that God is with us so
that we won’t give up or feel abandoned when the storms intensify… Jacob was
told by God that he would inherit the land which he slept on, we too have been
promised a better tomorrow… After his rest Jacob ended up working for his
father in law for over 14 years for his wives, he was wondering through life
avoiding his brother and even had another run-in with his father in law that
basically served as a warning that if he messed up he would come after him…
Jacob eventually had to face his brother and thought that death was imminent…
Many people remember the story of him wrestling with a man (which some believe
was God or an angel…) The whole point to the story is that you have been
promised a land of abundance, you have been promised a land of prosperity, but
you also must go through the rigors of life to obtain it, you must go through
the refining fire to be purified… Jacob was assured of his inheritance, but saw
many days of sadness and distress, we will see many days of sadness in
distress, many days of confusion and crying, but know that God never slumbers
nor sleeps, not only does he see your pain, but its serving a purpose in your
life that will allow His name to be glorified and you to be matured to the
point that God has called you too… Jacob came
face to face with his brother and God brought them back together… The bible
says that Jacob was given the name Israel and walked with a limp after His
encounter with God… You will experience the promises that God has made to you,
but you must go through the journey to obtain it… Like Jacob, we have been
promised great things, you might end up with a limp in pursuing them… God never
promised days without strife, He never promised that tears would not stream
down your face; God never said that your burden would be light, and joy will
fill your life 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! As Christians we have often
misconstrued what the word of God actually says, my Bible tells us to keep in
mind that they hated Him first, my bible tells me that weeping may endure for a
night, and my bible tells me that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy…
We have to understand that we are fighting a treacherous battle, we are in the
trenches and this war is growing more and more intense. Pick up your newspaper
and see how many teens have been locked up or become a chalk outline, look at
how many jobs have been lost, or how many suicides have taken place. Again, God
never said things would be easy, but what He says in this scripture is that He
will be with you! He didn’t say it wouldn’t be an uphill battle, but in this
scripture He tells us that He is fighting with us… He wants you to know that He
hasn’t forgotten about you, when others turn there back on you, He hasn’t. When
others put you down, He will pick you up. When people have denied you, He will
receive you. God has great things in store for you; He has a promised vision
for your life and will sweat along side you to see you fulfill your dream…
Don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t become discouraged, trust in the Lord, Hold
to his unchanging hand, and believe in the scriptures! “I will not leave
thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of…” God’s going
to finish the work, God’s going to conclude the master piece and you will reach
the heights He has called you too…
TROUBLE
WON”T LAST ALWAYS!!!!!!
BE BLESSED!!!
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