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Life sometimes is not easy. At least for most of us. Thus, we will see how God can take the worst moment of our lives and transform it into the turning point of our history.
To get somewhere, we need to develop an extraordinary effort. We need to insist, fight, persevere and often restart.
It is at Bethel that Jacob's first encounter with the Lord occurs. We will see who Jacob was, what Bethel means, why the Lord showed the ladder of heaven to Jacob, the promises of God, the power of dreams, and much more.
**Who was Jacob?**
Jacob was the youngest son of Isaac and twin brother Esau. Then came the birth of Esau Jacob grabbed the heel of his brother. So it was named Jacob, which means in Hebrew supplanter, or the person holding the heel (Genesis 25,24-26).
After going through Esau and tricking his father to receive the blessing of the birthright (Genesis 27), Jacob fled for fear of Esau, "Jacob departed from Beersheba and went to Haran" (Genesis 28:10).
The distance between Berseba and Haran is about seven hundred and fifty kilometers and required a trip of twenty to thirty days of displacement.
Jacob went to Haran out of obedience to his parents (Genesis 28.7). First of all, he would go to Bethel, where without knowing it he would meet God and undergo the first transformation.
He left Beersheba, and also the cheaters. He arrived in Haran as a new man. However, he would still have to face setbacks and tribulations.
On several occasions he was weak. But now he was different, having been transformed into an appropriate vessel to become the father of the nation of Israel.
When the sun goes down in our lives
"Arriving at a certain place, he stopped for the night, because the sun had already set, taking one of the stones from there, he used it as a pillow and lay down." (Genesis 28.11)
Life, our choices, and the Sovereign plan of God promote many changes in our trajectory. There are days when we wake up full of energy, motivation and strength. We are ready to save the world.
But there are days when our strength is the size of a grain of sand. We do not feel firm in our convictions. We question our plans and the decisions seem not to have been the best. "Am I doing the right thing?"
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It was more or less what Jacob might be feeling. His decisions had brought him there. Worth it?
The worst moment of our life
His problems were serious. He had cheated on his father. He would never see his mother again. And his brother Esau wanted to kill him.
This is the worst moment of his life. Life suddenly collapses around you as if you were being shaken by an earthquake.
Can God use this to change his history?
The Lord God can do something in our lives at such times. Moments of calamity. Insecurity. Uncertainty?
Dreams keep us alive!
"And he had a dream in which he saw a ladder resting on the earth, its top reaching into the heavens, and the angels of God ascending and descending through it, beside it was the Lord ..." (Genesis 28.12)
Jacob used a stone as a pillow to rest in the desert he was in. It was not just the physical desert. He was facing what most of us face. The hardness of life.
Reality is very cruel for anyone who wants a dramatic change of life. Many times we are caught thinking, praying, rambling about how life is hard.
Motivational messages tell you how much the difficulties are good, important, essential and how we will be stronger when going through them.
The reality is that we would all like not to live them. It would be much simpler if we did not feel as bad as we felt.
It would be good to hear something that left us well and that would be enough. Something like: "The Lord is my shepherd and nothing will be lacking"
Then we feel the strength. Courage. It will. Hope. All of them are sold out and we ask. What am I going to do with that knowledge?</div>
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However, the Lord God is expert in dealing with our soul. While Jacob is sleeping the worst night of his life, the Lord God prepares a form of reanimation. He gives you dreams!
Jacob's ladder and the new possibilities in Bethel
It is very common that our limited vision of things predicts pieces of illusion in our life. Imagine that at that precise moment, the Lord God contemplates his life as a whole, from his first step, to the last. That is, it has the macro view of its history.
Meanwhile, we barely remember what we eat yesterday at lunch. It is as if we were looking at life with a pirate magnifying glass. She gets to go far but limits the vision. It's too specific!
It is exactly that specificity that hinders us. When the smallest of things runs away from our control, we tend to be desperate.
God is always near
What we can not forget is that the Lord God is always close. The Lord Jesus promised his disciples:
"(...) Behold, I am with you every day, until the end of the ages, Amen." (Matthew 28:20)
"I will not leave you orphans, I will return to you" (John 14:18)
He does not approach only when things are good. He is always close. Our concern is that you can not perceive it. But He is always there.
Jacob could feel it when he stopped. When he rested. It is not surprising that the Son of God advises: "They do not look anxiously for what they want ...". We are always looking for something. Normally that "something" removes our tranquility.
The Lord God approaches Jacob and shows him a ladder that connects heaven to Earth. Through that ladder angels go up and down.
Wow!
God shows Jacob that heavenly possibilities still exist. If you can not see anything else here on Earth, the heavens are moving.
God is constantly working on our behalf. Creation. Building. Doing. Ruin. Always with the purpose of taking care of us in the best way.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, it was the land without form and void, the darkness covered the face of the abyss, and the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters." God said: "There is light," and there was light, and God saw that the light was good, and separated the light from the darkness (Genesis 1: 1-4).
If your life does not make sense today, even putting your trust in the Lord I hope that I encourage you to rest.
Today things can even be "messy and empty" in your life. But this is a great opportunity for the Holy Spirit to create new things. New possibilities Celestial possibilities.
God can change his history in Bethel
"... who told him:" I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.</div>
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Their descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and they will spread to the West and to the East, to the North and to the South. All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
I am with you and take care of you, wherever you go; and bring it back to this earth. I will not leave him until he does what I promised him. (Genesis 28.13 - 15)
The Lord God knows that we need reasons to live. Reasons to act That is, motivation.
The word motivation comes from the Latin moverรฉ, which means movement, movement. Motivation is basically the impulse or motive that makes people act to achieve their goals.
So, what are your dreams? How do you feed them? What keeps you motivated to wake up the other day and fight?
The Lord approached Jacob, at the worst moment of his life and fed his soul with "a strong will to live." With promises!
God Strengthens Jacob with the Promises at Bethel
Despite all the mistakes he made, Jacob earnestly desired God's blessing. Meanwhile, his brother Esau did not care a bit with her, about to exchange it for a bowl of lentils (Genesis 25:34).
The prophet Samuel had an incredible discernment in his ministry:
"The Lord does not see as man: man sees the appearance, but the Lord sees the heart." (1 Samuel 16: 7)
As he looked into Jacob's heart he saw a man who wanted him ardently. It is not strange that the Scriptures say: "I loved Jacob, but Esau I hated." (Romans 9:13)
Jacob's burning desire was to have God nearby. And the Lord God does not reject that kind of heart. He promises Jacob that the land he is lying on, the other way around, will belong to his offspring.
God takes responsibility for his promises
And the most important:
"I am with you and I will take care of you, wherever you go, and bring you back to this earth, I will not leave you until I do what I promised you.
God is faithful!
No matter what the circumstances are telling you, God's faithfulness will accompany your life as an honest relationship develops with him.
The City of Bethel
"When Jacob awoke from sleep, he said:" Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not know. "
He was afraid and said: "This place is terrible, it is not another, but the house of God, this is the door of heaven.
The next morning, Jacob took the stone he had used as a pillow, placed it as a pillar and poured oil on its top.
And he gave the name of Bethel to that place, although the city was previously called Luz. "(Genesis 28.16 - 19)
Thus the city of Bethel arose. In the worst moment of Jacob's life. Interesting is the meaning of Bethel: "House of God."
In this same place Jacob raised a memorial. One column And he gave it the name: Bethel Column. That would remind him constantly of that encounter.
How Do You Call The Place Of Your Difficulty?
When Jacob woke up he was with a totally new vision. Influenced by the acting of God. He was motivated to move forward under a new perspective of life.
The perspective of God!
I am sure that the Lord God did not create us for the desert. I think we were made for Canaan. The desert is only part of the road, not the final destination.
The place that marks the worst moment of your life is the place of transition
The desert is a place of transition between the difficulty and the best of God for his life. It is the transition between scarcity and abundance. Between crying and laughter. Between sadness and joy. And then you are going to say like the psalmist:
"When the Lord brought the captives back to Zion, it was like a dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with songs of joy. Even in the other nations it was said: "The Lord did great things for this people" (Psalm 126: 1,2)
The Lord God wishes to put a beautiful smile in your mouth. And hear a beautiful cry of Glory to God! In the form of gratitude.
God's love
"Then Jacob made a vow, saying:" If God is with me, take care of me on this trip I am doing, provide me with food and clothes, and take me safely back to my father's house, then the Lord will be Oh my God.
And this stone that I have placed today as a column will serve as a sanctuary for God; and of everything you gave me I will certainly give you the tithe. (Genesis 28. 20 - 22)
After being impacted by the vision of God, Jacob made a covenant with Him. Ask the Lord to take care of him, recognizing his weakness, shortness and dependence. Jacob promises to be faithful to God!
From now on Jacob does not cheat anymore. Do not lie. It does not usurp. He will have to endure all the tests with a new attitude.
Come to Bethel is to reach the place of change, the vision that has to be transformed is to be influenced by supernatural God.
Bethel is a place of renewal.
>>>Rest in God. Receive the influence of the Lord's vision. Make an alliance with God and give Him your fidelity. Always expect a radical change of life. Remembering that God's plan for his life is Canaan, the desert is only part of the way.
#### God bless you!