Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 28:10-22.
“10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Genesis 28:10-22.
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“It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:2
God gave this wonderful dream and these wonderful promises to Jacob while Jacob slept.
From the beginning, God gives to His beloved while they sleep. Think of what God gave Adam while Adam slept! “So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:21-22.
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8
“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:24
We certainly do not earn what God gives us; let us be “child-like” and thank and trust God like a child thanks and trusts His father.
God loves us, protects and provides for us, and we rest secure in Him!
“About Benjamin he said: `Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.’” Deuteronomy 33:12b.
With even a stone as a pillow, Jacob was able to rest and even fall into a deep sleep.
We may hundreds of worries as pillows. We may be as skittish as sheep, but our Good Shepherd, “He makes me lie down in green pastures …” Psalm 23:2.
“For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:4
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 