Where do you find your house of God?

Jacob ran away from Esau after having collected the blessing of the first born from his father Isaac by subterfuge. Esau denigrated the spiritual blessing he was to receive as first born when he, physically hungry, sold his brother Jacob in exchange for a bowl of lentil soup.

Jacob was running toward his uncle Laban’s house who lived in Haran. As he came to the end of his physical ability to continue to run, he lay down on the ground to rest. Using a stone for a pillow, he slept and dreamt of angels ascending and descending a ladder from heaven to earth. The Lord appeared to him and gave him assurances of future as he had to his father and grandfather. (Genesis 22:17, Genesis 26:4, Exodus 32:13, Leviticus 20:24)

Where do you find your Bethel, your house of God? Many find it in church, in worship with others, or Bible study or Prayer meetings. Others find His presence in silence, meditation, and private. prayer.

His presence is assured whenever two or three people meet together in Jesus’ name. (Matthew 18:20)

Unbelievers are barred from entering his rest, those who do not believe. (Hebrews 3:18) Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us come short of it.

Where do you enter into His rest? Hebrews 4:10-11 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Isaiah 57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Matthew 11: 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

It is in His presence we find joy. (Psalm 16:11) It is in His presence from which times of refreshing come (Acts 3:19)

Awareness came to Jacob as he woke the next morning. He realized he was in the Bethel (Beth means house and El indicates God’s house.) Jacob noted if it was not God’s house, it was at the very least the gate to heaven. Because of his enlightenment He set up the stone he had used for a pillow and anointed it with oil to serve as a memorial of his experience.

When was the last time you recognized the Lord was in a place, a church, a Bible study, a prayer meeting or in your own time of meditation? How did you set yourself to remember and recognize where you were when you found yourself in the presence of Almighty God?

At the very least we could take off our shoes respecting the ground made holy by His presence as did Moses (Exodus 3:5)