OCTOBER 10, 2012
Jesus
Is Near
Read: Genesis 28:10-22
Surely
the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. —Genesis
28:16
Samuel,
who was 4, had finished eating his dinner and asked if
he could be dismissed
from the table. He wanted to go outside to
play. But he was too young to be out
alone, so his mother said,
“No. You can’t go outside by yourself. You need to
wait for me to
finish and go with you.” His quick reply: “But, Mommy, Jesus is
with me!”
Samuel
had learned well from his parents that the Lord is always
by his side. We see
in our Bible reading today that Jacob had
learned that lesson too. His father
Isaac had blessed him and told
him to find a wife from among his mother’s
family (Gen. 28:1-4).
He followed that directive and traveled toward Haran.
As
Jacob slept, the Lord came to him in a dream and said, “I am
with you and will
keep you wherever you go . . . ; for I will not
leave you” (v.15). When he
awoke, he knew that he had heard
from God, and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place” (v.16).
Confident of God’s presence, he committed himself to following
Him with his
life (vv.20-21).
If
we have received Jesus as our Savior (John 1:12), we can be
confident and take
comfort in the truth that He is always present
with us (Heb. 13:5). Like Jacob,
may our response to His love be
wholehearted devotion.
Thank You, Lord, for walking with us every
day. You are our guardian, friend,
and guide. May we sense Your loving presence and always
know that You are close by our side. Amen.
Our loving God is always near—forever by our side.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
