Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 31:1-21 which covers Jacob’s evaluation of his situation with Laban, God’s words to him, and Jacob’s decision to leave Laban with his family and all of his property to return to Canaan, the land of his fathers and relatives.
Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+31&version=NASB
I quote the following verses.
“Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” Genesis 31:1-3.
“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’” Genesis 31:13.
“And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.” Genesis 31:20-21.
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Jacob remembered what happened at Bethel. The memory helped Jacob trust God and gave him hope and courage to leave Laban to return to the land promised to him and his decisions.
Here is what happened at Bethel.
“He (Jacob) 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. 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. 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. 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.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 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.”
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. He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 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, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 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 28:12-22.
We should also remember what God has said to us and done for us.
“Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. …” Exodus 13:3.
“you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:” Deuteronomy 7:18.
“Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,” 1 Chronicles 16:12.
“Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,” 1 Chronicles 16:15.
“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You.” Psalm 22:27
“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.” Psalm 77:11.
“Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth,” Psalm 105:5
“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands.” Psalm 143:5.
We should do things that will help us remember. There are many things that we can do.
We can diligently read God’s word.
We can attend worship services to hear songs proclaim God’s wonderful deeds and to hear God’s word preached.
We can partake of communion, a powerful God-ordained means of grace and memory.
We can write down what God has said to us and done for us.
We can preach and teach and simply tell others what God has said to us and done for us.
We can put up pictures in our home with key verses.
We can even set up a pillar of stones as Jacob did or build something temporary or permanent as a reminder.
We can go back and visit places where God has done extraordinary things for us.
We can talk to our elders to ask them what God has done for them as a way to help us remember similar things that God has done for us.
There are other things we can do.
But, even when we do not remember on our own, there is hope! God is gracious and helps us remember, like He did with Jacob: “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me.”
“He has made His wonders to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and compassionate.” Psalm 111:4.
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