Sat.’s Devo - Back to Bethel

Read: Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26 God told Jacob to go to Bethel where he first began his journey and had had the dream of angels descending and ascending on a ladder. Jacob had set up a pillar there and told God that if God provided for him and brought him safely back to this place he would worship the Lord here and give God a tenth of everything the Lord gives him (Genesis 28:18-22). *** Jacob’s mother’s nurse, Deborah, had died and was buried under an oak below Bethel. Jacob called this place the “oak of weeping.” *** God changed his name from Jacob to Israel and told him to be fruitful and multiply because nations and kings would come from him. He gave him the land He had given to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob set up a pillar to mark where God had spoken to him. He poured a drink offering on it and then left that place and traveled toward Ephrath. Rachel went into labor and died giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob buried her there and set up a pillar over her tomb. *** Reuben went in and lay with Bilhad his father’s concubine and Dan and Naptali’s mother. This act lost him the blessing of the first-born. *** Jacob finally reconnected with his father Isaac at Mamre also called Kiriath-arba and Hebron. Isaac had lived 180 years and died and his two sons Jacob and Esau buried him. *** Esau had married two Canaanite women and Ishmael’s daughter. Their descendants multiplied on the earth and became kings and chiefs of nations. *** In Matthew, Jesus’ disciples were rebuked by the Pharisees for plucking heads of grain and eating it on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them of what David did when he was hungry - he ate the bread of the Presence that only the priest were allowed to eat. The priests also worked on the Sabbath, but were counted guiltless. Jesus was trying to say that sometimes the situation calls for breaking the law. At that time, the Lord of the Sabbath was walking with them and he was allowing them to harvest on the Sabbath. *** Then Jesus demonstrated what he was teaching. He went in to their synagogue where there was a man with a withered hand. He asked the Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Then he asked them if they would help one of their own sheep if it fell into a pit on the Sabbath. (Of course, they would.) *** Jesus reasoned with them if they would help their sheep on the Sabbath, couldn’t he? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep; therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. He then healed the man’s hand. This ticked the Pharisees off so much they conspired how to kill him. Jesus knew they were dong this, so he left that place and many followed him. Jesus quoted Isaiah 42:1-4 about himself. He was sent to proclaim justice to the Gentiles and bring them hope. Every year I ask for a word for the next year. Last year’s word was “Beyond” and the Lord told me he would go beyond anything I could ask or imagine. To look back, I would have to say he has done that. I have seen evil exposed and brought to the light and God move to bring hope and goodness back to our land. I have watched as God has brought healing to our family. Our biggest “beyond” is that we are going to have another grand daughter which was not in anyone’s plan or imagination. We are so excited and blessed. *** This year the word is “dividing line.” God is making a line in the sand and there are no more gray areas. Everyone will have to take a side. Justice is coming and it will be swift and right. We have seen all the evil exposed, now we long for justice and we are surely going to see it in 2026. It will be a hard year for the ungodly, but a wonderful year for the godly. We are going to be blessed beyond what we had ever dreamed in so many ways. But, we have much work to do also. Blessing comes with responsibility and we have been in training all our lives for this time in history. We are still in the midst of the war against evil, but we are going to see beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are winning. It will become much more obvious. We cannot get tired and give up hope. More than ever, we need to arise and let our light shine. *** Lord, may we rise up and see the glory of the Lord come to earth. May we not grow weary in well-doing but continue to fight the good fight of faith. May we not give up when we don’t see the expected response but learn to wait on you to act. This is your story and we are just characters in the narrative. Help us to play our part according to your script.