Good morning! A couple years ago, We went to a summer worship night in Newark , NJ led by Phil Whickam and Brandon Lake with our good friends that live in Massachusetts. It was such a great night of food, fun, and friendship in addition to the incredible music.
When we got to the parking garage, we decided to go get a bite to eat at a local hole in the wall. Food was great! After we finished eating, we had to go back to the car for something. When we turned the corner to go back into the parking garage who do we run into? My brother Jonathan and his family! What a great surprise! I did not have any idea that he was going to be there! But it was so great to see him, hug him, and spend a couple minutes with him!
In Genesis 28, there is a story about Jacob that resonated with me when I saw my brother. The story goes like this… After Jacob had received his father’s blessing, his father told him to not marry a Canaanite woman but to go Paddan Aram to find a wife there among his family – things were much different back then LOL!
While on his journey, he stopped for the night and rested. While he was sleeping, he had a dream where he saw a stairway leading to heaven and there were angels going up and down on it. Above the staircase stood the Lord as He spoke to Jacob confirming the covenant God made with Abraham.
“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. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:13-15
This must have been a sight to see! I’m picturing in my mind something like the Verrazano Bridge at night on steroids! (And of course, much better maintained) This enourmous “bridge” extending from earth to heaven and our great big God at the tippety top!
When Jacob woke up he said to himself…
“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not even aware of it.”
Genesis 28:16
Just like I was unaware that my brother was going to be at the summer worship night, Jacob was unaware that God was going to visit him that night!
I am sad to admit this, but if I had been communicating more regularly with my brother, I would have known that he was going to be there! But the truth is, I have a large family which makes it difficult to stay in the know of what each sibling’s family has going on at every waking moment. I want to do a better job at this!
But in the same way, if we are not communicating with God on a regular (daily) basis, we may not always be aware of His presence! The Bible tells that God is everywhere, all the time (Proverbs 15:3) – but how many times have you asked God, “Where are You?”
We can know something without actually KNOWING something. Meaning, you can know that God is with you, but have you actually experienced His Presence? He is waiting for you to spend time with Him and it doesn’t matter where you are. You can be at your house, at work, in your car, at church, at the grocery store, at the park, or anywhere else you find yourself!
Take time today to recognize that God is with You! Every place you find yourself in today, take a moment when you are in each place to say, “Lord, thank You for Your Presence in this place!”
Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder today that You are with us! Forgive us for not giving You the attention that You deserve! Help us to KNOW (experience) Your Presence in every place we find ourselves today! Let us not miss out on the joy and peace that comes with Your Presence!
Be Transformed 