(God tells us): “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives and I will be with you” (Genesis 31:3).
“And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant… Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.” (Genesis 32:9,10a,11,12).
What God spoke to Jacob, what God said to him, what He promised to him, became the very essence, even the very words of Jacob’s prayer to God. Notice though that it was not until Jacob was in dire straits that he earnestly prayed to God. How like all of us! But it does not need to be so. We can save ourselves a lot of trouble by talking with God even when things are going well! After all, God desires a constant relationship with us, not merely a Sunday morning appearance at church to salve our conscience by brainwashing ourselves that our traditional Sunday morning religious duty satisfies God. Frankly, it does not.
God desires a continuous relationship with us. “Abide in me and I in you… Pray without ceasing… Remain in My love…”
Nicholas Hermann, a.k.a. Brother Lawrence, 1611-1691, used to say, “It is a shame to let the daily trifles of life distract us from a continuous conversation with God!”
Reading God’s Word prayerfully trains us to increasingly converse with God. As I read His Word, God speaks to me. I immediately answer God in prayer, I speak to God. Not an unrelated, selfish prayer.
Talk to Him about the things He is telling you. Pay attention to Him. Listen! Hearken! Heed! Then talk to Him about it.
(We tell God): Heavenly Father, because Jacob reminded You what You promised him when he prayed, I am greatly encouraged to do so too!
I am glad You are the Lord which said to Jacob, “I will be with you.” What You said to Jacob, You are also saying to me, “I will be with you.” Not only with me but also in me!
What You have said to Your people in the Scriptures still speaks to me today!
You said to Jacob that You would surely do him good. What You have said to Your own centuries ago, still speaks to me now!
Like Jacob so discovered, I also realize that Your Presence is the best blessing I have. You not merely abide with me, You also abide in me. I confirm that I belong to You, to always abide with You and in you.
From Praying God’s Word – Chapter 5