“The House Of God”

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the LORD stood beside him and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place – and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

Genesis 28:10-17

As Jacob did in Genesis, do you remind yourself each morning that God is here, right here, where you live? Spend time with God each morning, read His Word and respond in prayer. Prayer will reinforce your sense of His presence – that He is near. Although we do not see Him, Peter reminds us that we can love Him and rejoice in His love for us with wonderful joy.

God is with us wherever we go. He is in the commonplace, whether we know it or not. We may not realize He is close by. We may feel lonely and sad. Our day may seem bleak and dreary without a visible ray of hope – yet He is present.

Amid all the clamor and din of this visible and audible world, listen carefully for God’s quiet voice. Listen to Him in the Bible. Talk to Him frequently in prayer. Look for Him in your circumstances. Seek Him. He is with you wherever you go!

Our greatest privilege is to enjoy God’s presence.

Our Daily Bread – November 16, 2008