Jacob's Encounter with God
Most of us have read the account of Jacob's ladder to heaven that he saw in a dream, as he was leaving Canaan to flee the anger of Esau and find a wife among his family in Syria. However, we may not have read the whole account to see Jacob's reaction to the encounter with God. Jacob's life was changed from being the deceiver to being a believer in the Lord God of Abraham and Isaac. He made a sincere vow to God that shows us his faith in the Lord.(Genesis 28:20-22) It was not simply a heart decision. It involved trusting God with his material possessions. This was not salvation by works, but it was works that showed his salvation experience to be true faith in the Lord.
Think about it a minute. How many people do you know who say they believe in the Lord, but there is no change in their lives? How many people think it is enough to simply believe in their hearts that Jesus died on the cross for them and ask Him for forgiveness of their sins? Is that real faith? James 2:14-26 tells us that faith without works is dead faith, and that kind of faith will not save anyone. However, if our faith is real, there will be works that come after our commitment that show our faith to be living faith. That is what Jacob did, and that is what we need to do today.
God revealed Himself to Jacob as the Lord who would take care of him and even bring him back home in peace. Jacob's response was to believe God, and to say that He was going to be his own personal Lord. In fact, to show his trust and commitment, he would give a tithe of all that God gave him. The tithe was not a part of the Law at that point. He was not giving it because God told Him to do that. He was giving out of faith in God to show his love and his gratefulness for God caring for him. We should do the same thing today. I am blown away when I think of how God has fed and clothed me and my family over the years, as well as giving us so much more. The least I can do to show my thanks is to worship Him with 10% of what He gives me.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 30-33.
Think about it a minute. How many people do you know who say they believe in the Lord, but there is no change in their lives? How many people think it is enough to simply believe in their hearts that Jesus died on the cross for them and ask Him for forgiveness of their sins? Is that real faith? James 2:14-26 tells us that faith without works is dead faith, and that kind of faith will not save anyone. However, if our faith is real, there will be works that come after our commitment that show our faith to be living faith. That is what Jacob did, and that is what we need to do today.
God revealed Himself to Jacob as the Lord who would take care of him and even bring him back home in peace. Jacob's response was to believe God, and to say that He was going to be his own personal Lord. In fact, to show his trust and commitment, he would give a tithe of all that God gave him. The tithe was not a part of the Law at that point. He was not giving it because God told Him to do that. He was giving out of faith in God to show his love and his gratefulness for God caring for him. We should do the same thing today. I am blown away when I think of how God has fed and clothed me and my family over the years, as well as giving us so much more. The least I can do to show my thanks is to worship Him with 10% of what He gives me.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 30-33.