The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Surely"
"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not" (Genesis 28:16).
Like Jacob at Luz, how often must we wake up to the presence and working of God in our lives. Because we presently "walk by faith, not by sight," the tendency to miss our Lord's involvement in the circumstances, situations, and conditions of our lives means we must frequently "awake to righteousness" by remembering the promises: "I am with you always… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (I Corinthians 15:34; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).
Jacob's "Surely" regarding God's presence was based on his dream about a ladder whereupon angels ascended and descended between Heaven and earth (Genesis 28:12). The Lord Jesus Christ declared Himself to have been that ladder (John 1:51). Thus, born again believers have far more than a dream upon which to rest our confidence regarding our Lord's dynamic presence and involvement in our lives. We have the Word of God that proclaims the risen Savior as with us always, with no possibility of His departing. Our "Surely" exceeds that of Jacob by a vast measure. Like our brother of old, however, we must often awake out of our sleep to recall and affirm the truth. "I hope in Thy Word" (Psalm 119:81).
What does Scripture say about the circumstances, situations, and conditions that presently characterize our lives? Be they pleasant, difficult, or mundane, the Bible plainly states our Heavenly Father's working in all things (Ephesians 1:11). We may not know the details of His presence and involvement. But we can "surely" believe in the truth of His active engagement. We do not need a dream to know and believe this. We rather possess the Word of God and the Spirit of God as our assurance that "the Lord is in this place." He is. Surely, He is. Let us then awake and arise in the faith that sees, believes, and confesses the truth seen not in a dream, but in the "more sure word" of "It is written" (II Peter 1:19; Matthew 4:4).
"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
(II Kings 6:15-17)
Weekly Memory Verse
"In this world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
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