let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God...
Genesis 34:30-35-3
So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get
rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and
change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will
build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and
who has been with me wherever I have gone."
Jacob's life feels like a mess, full of the brokenness of the world... His only daughter had been raped, he was afraid to stand up against it, and his sons then deceived and killed everyone in the city while looting it in the name of revenge.
Jacob focused in on himself as his circumstances were swirling. He was afraid and worried about being attacked and loosing his household name/line for the actions of his sons.
God does not rebuke Jacob or call tell to get his act together. Rather, He speaks to Jacob and invites him to go to Bethel to worship Him. Bethel, the house of God, is a holy place. It is a place of encounter with God.
I love these verses because it reminds me that God does not turn from me when my life is a mess. He doesn't expect me to get it all right and get my act together. Rather, He is always extending out His hand to worship Him. It is Him that orders our lives. It is Him that straightens out our families and puts us going in the right direction.
Jacob turns from his fear and self-focus. He turns to God and calls his family back to God. He calls them to purify themselves and honor and worship the one true God.
When we turn to God, our perspective changes. The greatest remedy for self -focus is turning to God and worshiping Him.... reminding ourselves of who He is to us and what He has done for us. He is more than capable, even in the biggest messes, to put things back in order.
Right now my life feels like a broken mess. I don't know if it is a mess because I turned the wrong direction and am trying to move forward in a direction that is not His will or a mess because of the brokenness around me... most likely some of both. I don't feel like I have lots of good options so I am going in the only direction that appears to be workable (well, hopefully workable rather than actually).
My life feels like a huge roller coaster ride right now with turns that make my heart sink into my stomach. A wonderful friend recently encouraged me to stand. I think perhaps what I need to do most is to stand and put my hands in the air, scream if I need to and let go of my fear, let go of my anxiousness, let go of my control of outcomes, remember who is in control... and come home to the place of worship.
“All you have ever wanted / only me on my knees singing Holy, Holy.”
God is still here. He is still in control. He is more than willing to help me. And He is worthy of all my worship. He is more than able to manage my little broken and messy life. And so oddly, I love my broken and messy life... There is such beauty in it too. If it was more in order, it also would also be less full.
Lord, be with us in the broken, messy parts of our lives and make yourself known.
"Then
Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by
making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people
living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces
against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”
But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a
prostitute?”
Then God said to
Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there
to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother
Esau.”
Jacob's life feels like a mess, full of the brokenness of the world... His only daughter had been raped, he was afraid to stand up against it, and his sons then deceived and killed everyone in the city while looting it in the name of revenge.
Jacob focused in on himself as his circumstances were swirling. He was afraid and worried about being attacked and loosing his household name/line for the actions of his sons.
God does not rebuke Jacob or call tell to get his act together. Rather, He speaks to Jacob and invites him to go to Bethel to worship Him. Bethel, the house of God, is a holy place. It is a place of encounter with God.
I love these verses because it reminds me that God does not turn from me when my life is a mess. He doesn't expect me to get it all right and get my act together. Rather, He is always extending out His hand to worship Him. It is Him that orders our lives. It is Him that straightens out our families and puts us going in the right direction.
Jacob turns from his fear and self-focus. He turns to God and calls his family back to God. He calls them to purify themselves and honor and worship the one true God.
When we turn to God, our perspective changes. The greatest remedy for self -focus is turning to God and worshiping Him.... reminding ourselves of who He is to us and what He has done for us. He is more than capable, even in the biggest messes, to put things back in order.
Right now my life feels like a broken mess. I don't know if it is a mess because I turned the wrong direction and am trying to move forward in a direction that is not His will or a mess because of the brokenness around me... most likely some of both. I don't feel like I have lots of good options so I am going in the only direction that appears to be workable (well, hopefully workable rather than actually).
My life feels like a huge roller coaster ride right now with turns that make my heart sink into my stomach. A wonderful friend recently encouraged me to stand. I think perhaps what I need to do most is to stand and put my hands in the air, scream if I need to and let go of my fear, let go of my anxiousness, let go of my control of outcomes, remember who is in control... and come home to the place of worship.
“All you have ever wanted / only me on my knees singing Holy, Holy.”
God is still here. He is still in control. He is more than willing to help me. And He is worthy of all my worship. He is more than able to manage my little broken and messy life. And so oddly, I love my broken and messy life... There is such beauty in it too. If it was more in order, it also would also be less full.
Lord, be with us in the broken, messy parts of our lives and make yourself known.
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