E9 - Gen 21 & 22 - Remember Where Your Ladders Are At

What if the places where God speaks to you are as important as the words He speaks?

After conning his brother Esau a second time, Jacob decided to flee for his life. This crisis exposes the man who had a reputation of preferring the comforts of tents over the ruggedness of the open country (Gen 25:27). Jacob is now awkwardly exposed in an unfamiliar place. The Bible unassumingly labels the spot, “a certain place.” (Gen 28:11)

Displaced and uncertain about his future he picks up a rock as pillow (ouch!) and goes to sleep. In his Wisdom God decided that this was the perfect time and place to reveal to Jacob his plan. Alone and uncomfortable Jacob received the revelation that he was indeed accompanied by busy messengers of God. Jacob discovered his ignorance of God’s very presence, but more importantly he discovered a ladder- access to God.

Why did God reveal a “stairway” or “ladder?” Jacob needed to know that he had access to God. And if access was not good enough, Jacob witnessed that God’s agents where active near him.

Jacob made the important decision not to just to remember WHAT God spoke, but also WHERE He spoke to him. In fact, he set up an alter out of his rock/pillow and renamed the place “House of God.”

In the Old Testament, people of faith had the cool habit of building alters; these were usually located the very place WHERE they heard God. Apparently, God chooses the places and the circumstances WHERE He speaks to us as carefully as the words that He uses. To Him, the place is part of the message.

You need a ladder! Places where God has spoken to you.  You got to remember where our “ladders” are at. These places in your life that will both remind you and reassure you of the things God has spoken to you. Do you know where your “ladders” are at? Are there any places in your life that you have to rename?