Sunday Sentiments: He Paves the Way

 

This week I finished studying Darlene Schacht’s Bible study on Jacob, and I’ll tell you more about it in a few days when I give you the updates on the books I read this month. But today I want to tell you about one of the lines in the final chapter that seemed to be written just for me at this time.

            At the beginning of Genesis 35, “God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” The chapter goes on to tell how Jacob instructed anyone in his household or working for him in any way to put away any foreign gods or idols they had, because he wanted his entire entourage to purify themselves before the Lord.

            Then we read “As they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.”

            And about that, Darlene said, “If God is planning our steps, doesn’t it only make sense that He’s also paving the way?”

            God instructed Jacob to move along to Bethel. He instructed him to build an altar. He ordered Jacob’s steps, and in reverence to God, Jacob did everything he could to make sure his household stood pure before Him. But there were a lot of people between Jacob and Bethel who could have hindered his way. They could have caused trouble to come to him or his people. They could have obstructed Jacob’s ability to follow through with what God called him to do.

            But God worked it out so that no one pursued Jacob. He was able to move along the way ordered by God, because God paved that way for him.

            And God is the same now as He was then. If He can work things out for Jacob, He can work things out for me. He can pave the way before me as I walk through the path He’s asked me to take.

            I underlined AND highlighted that one in my Bible. May I keep my focus on that reminder. He orders my steps and paves my way. My job is to purify my heart and take the steps forward as directed.

            Maybe you need that reminder today too!