Back to the Place You Met God
Genesis 35:1 (ESV)
“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’”
Genesis 35 is a call to return. God tells Jacob to go back to Bethel, the place where he first encountered Him in a powerful way. That place mattered. It was where Jacob first became aware of the presence of God in his life. And now, after years of movement, complexity, and even compromise, God calls him back. But before he goes, Jacob tells his household to put away their foreign gods, to purify themselves, and to change their garments. This is not just a change of location. It is a moment of realignment. A clearing out of what does not belong so they can return rightly to God.
That matters, because returning is not just about where we go. It is about the condition of our hearts.
I think especially for those who have been believers for an extended period of time, this can become very real. It is possible to get so familiar with the rhythms of faith that we begin to run on routine instead of relationship. We serve, we attend church, we pray, we read Scripture, but over time it can subtly shift into habit rather than passion. And when that happens, drifting begins to take place, often without us even realizing it at first.
I have seen that in my own life more than once. There have been seasons where I recognized that I was going through the motions more than I was engaging with God from a place of genuine affection. And in those moments, I have had to be intentional. To set aside time, to slow down, and to ask God to realign my heart. To make sure that what I am doing is not just outward activity, but inward devotion.
That is exactly what Genesis 35 is pointing us toward.
God calls Jacob back, not just to a place, but to a posture. Back to a place of encounter. Back to a place of focus. Back to a place where God is first again.
And the beauty of it is this. When Jacob returns, God meets him. He reaffirms His promise. He reminds him of who he is. God does not meet him with resistance. He meets him with grace.
And He does the same for us.
So today, if you sense even a subtle drift, do not ignore it. Take time to examine what may need to be cleared out, what needs to be reset, and where God is calling you back to a deeper place with Him.
Because the place where you met Him before is still a place where He will meet you again.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You continually call us back to You. Help us to recognize when we have drifted, even in subtle ways. Renew our passion for You and draw our hearts back into alignment. Let our faith be more than routine, but a real and growing relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.