Read: Genesis 28:10-19
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (v. 16 NIV)
As we traveled north out of Jackson, Wyoming, on the flat Route 189, we were surprised at how the Grand Teton mountains seemingly appeared out of nowhere. They have no foothills and suddenly rise to heights of 13,775 feet. Being in the mountains, I was filled with awe at their beauty. They pointed me towards God’s power, and the miracle of his presence with me.
In our reading today, Jacob was fleeing from his brother, and was on a five-hundred-plus-mile journey to find a wife. On the way to Haran, he stopped at Bethel for the night. Sometime during his slumber, God gave him a dream of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth and angels ascending and descending on it. This vision assured Jacob that God was always reaching down to care for him wherever he was and that someday he would return to his homeland. When Jacob awoke, he realized during the night that God’s presence came to him.
God is always with us on our journey through life. Too often, we fail to recognize that he is walking with us. Sometimes he gives us reminders of his presence. It might be in a dream like it was for Jacob. Maybe it’s seeing the beauty of creation that nudges you to realize that God is still around. No matter what it is for you, may you be aware he is always there.
As you pray, ask God to help you be more aware of his presence.
About the Author
Steven Laman is a writer and public speaker who has lived with cerebral palsy since his birth in 1970. Steven is a prolific devotional writer for Words of Hope, and the author of three books: My Journey God’s Grace, Strength in Weakness and My Grace Is Sufficient. He also volunteers as a teacher’s aide. He lives with his parents in Iowa.
