Genesis 28:10-22
Today's Scripture

(Note: Today's Scripture link [above] is from the New Living Translation, in honor of Ken Taylor, founder of Tyndale House Publishing, who passed away yesterday. I usually link to the NIV version of the Scripture, but also enjoy the NLT version. In high school, I read and wore out my copy of The Way--a paperback version of the Living Bible, which was a paraphrase of the Bible popular in the 1970s. You can read more about Ken Taylor and his life at the Tyndale website or read a tribute by writer/editor Terry Whalin.)

As Jacob traveled away from his home, toward the home of his mother's family, he stopped to set up camp for the night. Using a stone as a pillow, he fell asleep and dreamed of a stairway to heaven, with angels going up and down. The Lord was at the top of the stairway, and gave Jacob this message: "I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I will give it to you and your descendants.Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will cover the land from east to west and from north to south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. ^[ What's more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I have promised." (verses 13b-15, NLT)

The promise of Abraham and Isaac is passed on to Jacob. When Jacob awoke, he used the stone that had been his pillow as a memorial stone and named the place Bethel, or "house of God." He promised to make the Lord his God and give him a tenth of all the Lord gave to him.

Is there a special place in your life or world that has memories of encountering God? Maybe it isn't a physical space, but anywhere you take on a posture of submission and quiet before the Lord. He is everywhere--he lives inside us, so our own bodies are our "Bethel." Let us take time today to come before the Lord as Jacob did, look heavenward, and thank him that Jesus is our Stairway to Heaven.
- posted by Suzi @ 9:08 AM