A Secret Place

‘And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he has made there at first.

And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.’

~ Genesis 13:3-4

I missed this bit when I first read it.

Abram receives a promise from God in the chapter before this one.

‘To your descendants I will give this land.’

~ Genesis 12:7

He then goes from that land down to Egypt, lies about Sarai being his wife, pretends she’s his sister (funnily enough not the last time this happens), gets in trouble with the Pharoah and has to leave.

He then returns to the place he received the promise from God

To the place where his tent had been AT THE BEGINNING

To the place of the altar which he has made there at FIRST

I wonder, if like me (and Abram) you might find yourself in another land - trying to escape from something, trying to find security, caught up in a lie or simply in a different season of life

I noticed these couple of verses yesterday and was reminded - come back to the start, where it all began

Where do you remember hearing from God?

When was the last time you felt close to Him?

Maybe like Abram, we need to come back to those first places, the beginnings

For me, it’s this chair

Why? Because this was the chair that I sat on for years (not without moving of course) asking God for our promised miracle baby

On this chair, I have felt His presence & comfort & grace

And it’s nothing to do with the chair really - it’s just a place where I stopped and took a moment to acknowledge God

It’s the same chair I’m sitting on now

Back to the start

To the basics & the beginning

Where is your start?

Where is your beginning?

How can you simply be with God today?

‘Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works’

~ Revelation 2:5