Go Ahead and Back Up

Scripture(s):

Genesis 35:1-3 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau they brother... Then Jacob said ... And let us arise, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

Affirmations from God:

To sum up Jacob's story, God gave Esau’s birthright to Jacob even before he was born, however in his trickery, Jacob stole it from Esau. Esau was going to kill Jacob, thus Jacob fled. After wandering for some 40 years God comes to Jacob to renew his covenant with him. For the first time Jacob decides to listen to God and returns to Bethel.

So many times we are like Jacob, we hear God but are not obedient to God. As Honore de Balzac would say, “It is easy to sit up and take notice, What is difficult is getting up and taking action.” God wants us to take action rather than spending our life wandering around. 

Interestingly enough, I accepted Christ at the age of ten. I heard God speaking but many times I did not respond but then I had a Damascus road experience.  God called me and basically said, "And let us arise, go back to your Bethel, make you an altar to God, who answered you in your distress, and has been with you as you have fled from your fears, and routed your own journey" (Gen. 35:1, Patsy's translation).

While it is not easy to accept that we have been disobedient to God, we are wise to back up, go back to where we started from and start over. For some the cost of backing up is more than for others, however we are wise to obey when he calls us. Regardless the cost, we know that when we are obedient to God he will give us all that we need. At the end of this same chapter in Genesis, we find that because Jacob was obedient, "God blessed him."

Personal Application:

1.  When did you accept God’s call on your life?

2.   Are you following him or are you wandering around?

3.   What is keeping you from going back to your Bethel, making an alter to God and moving on with your life?

4.   Are you willing to move on at any cost?

Prayer:

Pray for God to take you back to your Bethel. Pray that God will reveal to you the things that are preventing you from following him. Pray that you will have the strength to be obedient to his call in your life. And... then thank Him for his continued watch on your life and for His blessing to you, in Jesus Name, Amen