Surely the Lord is in this Place

I’m back from deliverance @prayercity , and had a wonderful time with family and brethren.

Surely the LORD was with me, even in the colonoscopy and a barium enema!

I am “back on schedule” physically, YAY!

May we have the spiritual sense to realize that the LORD is in this place of present circumstance and challenge.  Jesus is our ladder, and that means that “My God will supply all that you need from the glorious resources in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

Much love in Christ,

 Joy

#213  Surely the Lord is in this place  Genesis 28.16  Part 2

The ladder we can claim

Having heard of Esau’s intent to kill him, Jacob travelled 48 miles from Beersheba, until the sun had set.  In the dark of night he chose a large smooth stone on which to lay his head, and then he laid down to sleep.  He knew he would not be present for his father’s death.  He knew the intensity of his brother’s wrath.  He was alone, and he felt alone, far away from God and far away from home.  The fatigue and stress of his journey helped him fall into a deep sleep, and that sleep gave way to a vivid dream.  In his dream he saw a ladder resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There beside him stood the LORD {Soncino}, and he said:

“I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.  I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.  All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”  Genesis 28:14-15

Jacob’s first thought upon awakening was one of gratitude.  “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”  His heart filled with awe and perhaps embarrassment for doubting God, as he exclaimed, “How awesome is this place.  This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”  Genesis 28:16-17

Early that morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.  He called that place Bethel, though the city {nearby} used to be called Luz.  Genesis 28:18-19 

Thus God assured Jacob that he would be protected according to the covenant promises of God.  The ladder in the divinely given dream represented the reality of the Angels of divine power and provision.  The angels were ascending—they were already on earth, with him, even though he didn’t notice that fact, figuratively bringing his need and vulnerability to heaven.  The angels were descending, as divine power and provision was made available according to God’s direction.  Perhaps it was the Logos as the Angel of God who stood beside him, creating the dreams and speaking the promises of God.

In this new year we can claim the message of this Dream.   In John 1:51 Jesus states “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”  Jesus is our ladder, the access and bridge between our needs and vulnerability and the provision of God, now for his followers, and for all our human family in the Kingdom.   Philippians 4:19

Upon this ladder, upon this connecting link between heaven and earth, between God and man, have descended to us the angels of divine favor, messages of love, and mercy, forgiveness and adoption, and on this same ladder are messages returned to the father, our prayers.  We are accepted in the Beloved, we enter into the holies by faith, we receive the incoming and send back again the outgoing messages and messengers, and all of them upon the ladder, the connecting link, the Son of man, our Lord and Master, through whom alone we have access and relationship to the Father, and receive from him the exceeding great and precious things not only of this present life, but also of that which is to come.