Read Genesis 46:1-4
And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said Here am I.” Genesis 46:2 KJV
As Jacob prepared to make his journey into Egypt the first thing he heard from God was his own name. I find that very encouraging. That God calls any of us by name is amazing. When we realize He knows us and still speaks to us is even more amazing. Like us, Jacob had not lived a perfect life; it was a mixture of good and bad, and yet God still called him by name. Hearing such, Jacob’s immediate response was to acknowledge his presence. It had been a very long time since his first encounter with God; there had been many since; now he has become comfortable with God’s presence. His response is bigger than might at first be recognized. Very few in the Bible respond to God with those words, and very few still do. To acknowledge ones presence to Godis to present your self to Him, and to be accountable to Him. Jacob’s trip would take him out of the land of promise but not out of God’s promise as God renewed His covenant with Jacob and promised to go with him.
Lord, Jacob had served you a very long time but even with old age he was still quick to respond to you. I want to be like that; faithful and quick to respond to you when I am old.
A question to ponder: The best time to establish the habit of responding to God’s call is not when we are old but while we are still young, how long has it been since you said to God, here am I?
