No Alternative

UV3300/10000 No Alternative to God
Then let us get up and go up to Bethel, and I will make an alter there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.

Genesis 35 v 3


When Jacob was fleeing from the wrath of Esau, his brother, God ( Jehovah) appeared to him at Bethel in a dream. The dream proved to Jacob that He was present with him wherever he went. The presence of God encouraged him and led him to give up his deceitful ways of getting ahead of others. He realized he was no longer in a rat race but in a race of grace, that the Lord will go with him and prosper him, rescue him from his spiritual and mortal enemies. Jacob gave up at this point in time all the idols that he carried at that time with him. He confirmed his covenant with God. He loved Him with all his heart and all his mind and all his strength. He relied only on Him from this point in his life.

The relationship that the forefathers of faith like Jacob, the patriarchs of Israel had with God is a model to emulate for people of all nations and around the globe, all through history. Their struggles are like ours and their deliverance resembles that which the Lord has wrought in our lives, too. He is with us in our distresses. God had sent messengers to Abraham, Jacob, Isaac in the shape of angels to confirm His promises to them but for us, He has sent the Word, His Son, Jesus. God travelled with the ancient Israelites as a fire by night and a cloud by day. Now He travels with us as the Holy Spirit. We ourselves are now “Bethel” or the house of God. When we realize that there is no alternative for God, we make an alter to Him.

The living alter under the new covenant relationship through Jesus is built up of the praises and thanksgiving we offer up to the Lord. We need to be thankful for all the times the Lord has delivered us in our distress. He rejoices in our gratitude and praise. He rushes to our aid even before we pray for help. We need to give up anything and everything that replaces God in our hearts and minds and create more space for Him in our lives. Then we experience more of His presence, power, grace, love in our lives.