This post is a part of my series of once weekly devotionals called Faith for Thought. Bookmark the homepage for Faith for Thought here to return to it for the weekly update on Thursday!
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2 Chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV
Devotion
What do you picture when you think of God?
Sometimes I think of Him just sitting up in the sky, listening to our prayers.
Other times I imagine Him coming down to Earth and saving the day, performing miracles right when we need them.
Still other times I picture Jesus weeping when He watches tragedy occur, just like he wept upon finding out about the death of Lazarus.
Rarely do I picture Him this way: His eyes ranging throughout the earth, seeking and strengthening us.
In Genesis 31-32, Jacob set out to go back to the land of his brother Esau. Jacob hadn’t seen his brother since he had stolen his birthright and inheritance, and he was likely nervous.
Before he left, he offered sacrifices and invited his relatives to a meal (Genesis 31:54).
Then he set out, and “the angels of God met him.” (Genesis 32:1)
Jacob wasn’t in the middle of a prayer; he wasn’t on a soul-searching journey. He was going into a difficult situation, and the Lord met him there.
God’s eyes were ranging “throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” Jacob wasn’t seeking God at the time; God was seeking him.
Action Steps
Oftentimes we put the pressure on ourselves to find God. In reality, we have one job: making sure our hearts are fully committed to Him. It’s God’s eyes who are ranging throughout the Earth to find us.
Read and reflect on Genesis 31-32. How is Jacob’s heart fully committed to God? What is his response when God meets him?
