Verse of the Day 6/2

Through the Bible - Hosea 5-8, Matthew 18:21-35

 

Good morning,

Many of you reading these devotionals are parents, grandparents and  even great grandparents.  If we've been believing Christians through most of those years and the life experiences that go along with them we may have felt God say "I am with you" and "I will be with you" as we read in the past couple of days.  If that is the case our testimony to ourselves and to others will be that of Jacobs in today's verse.

 

Genesis 35:3English Standard Version (ESV)  Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone."

 

Have you come to the point in your life where you can say that, "God has answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I've gone".  What a powerful testimony.

 

C.H. Spurgeon writes, "If you trust in God, this shall be your verdict at the close of life.  When you come to die you shall look back upon a life which has not been without its trials and its difficulties, but you shall bless God for it all; and if there is any one thing in life for which you will have to praise God more than another, it will probably be that very event which seems darkest to you."

 

I was reminded of the Laura Story song "Blessings".  Jacob could have easily had such feelings in his heart.

 

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

 

Blessings,
Mike
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Genesis 35

New King James Version (NKJV)  Jacob's Return to Bethel

 ¹ Then God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother."
² And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. ³ Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone."