God Is With You...

Scripture:
Genesis 28:10-16 (NASB)

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Devotional:

In all honesty I can say there was only one time I could noticeably feel the presence of God.  It was in the middle of my walk to Emmaus.  I had gone off to be alone for a few little bit.  I was working through some struggles I was dealing with.  My table, the group of men I was a part of for the weekend, found me and surrounded me.  They all started praying for me and during that moment I felt the Holy Spirit.  It was the only time in my life I could say I felt God’s presence.

How much more did Jacob feel God’s presence that night in his dreams?  It changed his life forever.  He knew God was with him, just as I did at that moment in my life.  God told Jacob that wherever Jacob went that He would be with him.  God promises us the same.  Even though I may not feel His presence I know He is with me.  He is with you as well.  It doesn’t matter if you can see, feel, or hear Him.  God is right there beside you.  He is in you filling your heart with His love and the Holy Spirit.  He promises never to leave or forsake any of us.  Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV):

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”

No matter where we are or what we go through God is with us.  He will guide us and aid us through the good times and the bad times.  We just have to keep our focus on Him.  Allow Him to work in our lives.  Allow Him to be in the driver seat and be in control.  I know in my own life that everything turns out so much better when I follow God’s lead instead of doing things my way.  No matter what I know God is with me.  I know no matter what God is with you…