Bibledoorajar Emphasizes Worship

     We said last week that Jacob was in many ways still the Jacob with whom we started our journey. But in many ways he is not the same man. After his wonderful redemptive encounter with his brother, he built an altar. He may not have reached perfection, but he definitely had met God in the encounter with Esau and he knew it. His declaration about God at the altar speaks much of his increased relationship with God and his reverence for Him. God was Jacob's God and Jacob was on his way to becoming a mature son of God. I believe that building this altar may have been the most mature thing Jacob had done to date. An altar that declared that God was God and that he was the God of Israel. You know people can come up with bad ideas about the supremacy of our Father. Remember Peter's attempt to help?
     "Peter said to Jesus, 'It's good that we're here, Lord.
       I'll put up three shelters if you want---one for you, one for Moses
       and one for Elijah. (Matthew 17:4). "
    It was great that Peter wanted to help on the occasion, but he totally missed the importance of being in the presence of his glorified Lord. Of all the interesting stories about Moses and Elijah and their service to God, none outstrips the "old story of Jesus and His love". For the Jew, it was Shema first--Listen, the Lord thy God is One...For Peter, God spoke just as loudly..."This is my Son, whom I love...listen to Him. The fallibility of Jacob and that of Peter, gives me hope for the rest of us. Their human difficulties encourage me to go on in the hope of the Lord. Lord, I'm at the altar, help me to listen! Help me to praise Your Son above all other and help me to listen to the One who it is that dwells in me. Amen.