In the Old Testament God spoke to the people. God told Jacob, above, to arise and go to Bethel and dwell there. He listened, he arose and he and his family went to Bethel. But there was a condition--"Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments." (verse 2)
God still speaks to us today. He urges us to arise and follow Him and the same condition is set before us, to remove those things in our lives that cause us the inability to purify ourselves so we can be clothed in righteousness and not be able to know who He is, what His plans are for us.
God protected Jacob and his people from possible enemies. God will also offer us His protection. God changed Jacob's name. Jacob means deceiver. He had done a number of things in his life which were deceptive. But now he'd changed and sought God's will. Jacob's name was changed to Israel, which means God rules. He was willing to listen now. God does that for us too. In Revelation 2:17 John tells us what God says will happen when we get to heaven: "'...To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."' I like that! A new name, one that represents who I am in Christ.
Earlier Jacob had wrestled with God and, of course, God won. But He had to injure Jacob so that he could not longer fight. We struggle with God when we do not heed His call or command to arise and follow Him. Sometimes He will allow a struggle in our lives to bring us low so He can rise up once again and cause us to take notice. That's salvation to the lost...or rededication to those who have strayed. When we then let go of those ideas or things that cause us to not follow Him, He becomes our friend, protector, supplier of our needs.
I love how Jacob says "[God] has been with me in the way which I have gone." The way. "Follow Me, I am the Way."
Let's not let pride or unbelief hinder our walk with God...or keep us from it. There are so many promises to receive, blessings and not curses. This God knows our names. He is interested in everything about us because He created us--knitted us in our mother's wombs. He has known us since before we knew Him. He knows our thoughts and words before we think or say them. Who would know better what we are in need of?
When Jesus was healing people often he would tell them to "arise and go" and they were healed. He calls us to be healed spiritually when He asks us to "arise and follow Him." If you hear the call, don't ignore it. Let these promises be for you:
Psalm 18:2 - The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
It is the "arise" part, isn't it; the getting up and doing it that is the hard part.
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