Broken and Healed by the God of Bethel
“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.” (Genesis 31:13 NKJV)
“I am the God of Bethel.”
Why does God say this? What is the significance? Bethel was the last place Jacob had an encounter with God. Bethel was the place that God made the same kind of covenant with Jacob that He did with Abraham.
“‘Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’” (Genesis 28:15-17 ESV)
Even though Laban’s house was difficult, it was still comfortable. Leaving it and heading home to a brother who had sworn to kill him was scary. God wanted Jacob to know that He is that same God he encountered at Bethel, amongst the rocks, away and alone from his family. He is the same God that brought him peace that night, and He will protect him.
God calls him to go back to Bethel, the place where he might not have been looking for God, but God reached down to him. Bethel: where God promised that even if he went through difficult times, He would bring Jacob back to peace.
When you are scared, go back to Bethel, see the places that He has brought you out of, and trust that He will do it again.
It’s interesting what we find as our Bethel. Our place where we encountered God, but also our place where we came back and wrestled with God.
That place where our “self,” our “will,” and our plans took up a battle with our Almighty King for dominion over our hearts and life. A hard battle that left our hearts crying out and bodies exhausted because we don’t know what He’s doing or what He’s planning and it’s scaring us. When our plans aren’t His plans and our hearts are being to stubborn to bend to His will, it’s there that He has to break us. He takes us and shows us who is God and who is not.
It might leave us with a limp or a scar, but it will always be a reminder that trusting His will is good and demanding our way is not.
It’s where He breaks us, but heals us.
He restores us to His faithful child. We are reminded that every good and perfect thing is from Him, and that He will provide what we need, when we need it.
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36 NKJV)
God knows what we need and what we don’t need right now. Praise God that He doesn’t show us every step that we would have to take to get to the end. The Devil would use that to overwhelm us, but God wants us overwhelmed by Him.
It is His grace, His mercy, and His faithfulness that we are able to take with each step on the road of life.
Meghan is a 20-something wedding photographer, entrepreneur, twin, book lover, and child of God who lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She loves spending time with friends and family, digging into God’s Word, and exploring HIs beautiful creation. Meghan and her twin sister have a photography business and are beyond blessed to be able to work with and serve amazing couples on their wedding days. Follow her on Instagram, or visit her website.
