Seeking Awareness of His Presence

 Today's devotional reading took me to Genesis 28 when Isaac had blessed Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman, but to go to his Mother's ancestors and find one there.  Jacob went on his way, but when nighttime fell, he decided to stop and sleep, with his head resting on a stone as a pillow.-I don't know about you, but using a rock as a pillow does not equate to restful sleep in my book...maybe that had something to do with the dream Jacob had that night...mmh...I wonder if God wanted Jacob in a state of semi-consciousness so the vision would not be confused just with a large, Chipotle-burrito-supreme-induced nightmare...however, I digress.-

This scene has a proclamation made by Jacob that I want to claim as my own.  When he woke up after having that wonderful Stairway to Heaven vision of a dream, Jacob pondered on what he saw and on the Word that he heard from God stating that He will be with him and watch over him wherever he'd go.  At that, he proclaimed:  

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Genesis 28: 16

How many times have I forgotten this reality?  Why do I lose awareness of it? How often do I go through life without remembering that the presence of the Lord is in this place...and in every place I go to because He goes with me wherever I go...because He is in me.  Therefore, every place is, indeed, "awesome" because I am...we are...every believer is "none other than the house of God...the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28: 17)

Today, I want to seek inside of my heart and of my mind and of my soul to find the truth of this proclamation and to seek awareness of Emanuel, God with me.

I want to seek the presence of God this Christmas season with all I've got.  I want to see God's presence in every circumstance and in every place.  I want to feel God's hand guiding me every step of the way.  I want to keep my eyes focused on His face as I seek evidence of how the Lord is in every place I go.

May the Advent season be a time to search for awareness of God's presence in our lives and to make Jacob's proclamation our own...for, surely, the Lord is in this place and we are standing at the gate of heaven.  In Jesus' precious Name.  Amen!