“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it…and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’”
Genesis 28:16, 22
Today’s passage finds Jacob running from the consequences of his actions and falling asleep at a place called Bethel. While he was asleep, God revealed Himself to him in a personal way. It was then that the God of his fathers became his personal God too.
Before we see how this destiny moment changed his perspective about giving, let’s look at the point where God showed up in Jacob’s life.
God reveals Himself when we are at the end of ourselves. Jacob’s scheming and trickery had brought him nothing but failure and rejection. When he stopped running and fell asleep at Bethel, he had nothing. It is when you are at the end of your rope that God reveals Himself to you in a personal way.
God reveals Himself when we are alone. God came to Moses when he was alone with his flocks in Midian. God came to Isaiah while he was alone in the temple praying. God uses the times we are alone to reveal Himself, for usually, that is when He has our undivided attention.
Jacob was forever changed at Bethel. When God became personal to him, he immediately vowed to give God a tenth of everything. This personal encounter with God changed Jacob from a taker in life to a giver. Personal encounters with God result in changed lives.
Prayer Focus: Pray that everyone touched by Grace will experience a personal relationship with God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Ask the Father how the giving of your time, talent, and treasures can reveal your personal faith in Him. If you don’t know God in a personal way, pray and ask Him to meet you at “your Bethel.”
