By the grace of God, I want to walk us through two powerful encounters that our father of faith, Jacob, had with the Lord, and explore what we can learn from them.
The first happened in his younger years. Following his father Isaac’s instruction, Jacob left home in search of a suitable wife. On his journey to Paddan Aram to find his uncle, he stopped for the night. The Bible tells us in Genesis 28 that after traveling a long distance, and as the sun began to set, he came to a place where he decided to rest. He found a stone, laid his head on it, and fell asleep. (I still wonder how he slept comfortably on a stone, but I digress!)
In that sleep, Jacob had an unforgettable revelation. He saw a stairway connecting earth and heaven, with angels ascending and descending. More than that, he heard the voice of the Lord Himself speaking from above the staircase:
“I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants… and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed… Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go…” —Genesis 28:13–15
What a divine moment. And Jacob recognized it, though after the fact. When he awoke, his immediate response was:
“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
What followed was fear, awe, and then worship. He raised an altar to the Lord right there. It’s clear that had Jacob known earlier that God’s presence was in that place, his posture and actions may have been different. Now, fast forward to Genesis 32. Jacob is older and returning home after a long and eventful journey, having seen God’s faithfulness time and again. He has another encounter—but this time, it’s different.
The Bible tells us that Jacob wrestled with an angel through the night. His one request?
“I will not let you go unless you bless me.” —Genesis 32:26
I imagine he recalled that earlier dream—replayed it in his mind over and over again. He likely thought about what he could’ve done differently… what he could’ve asked the Lord… how he could’ve better engaged with the moment. So this time? He wasn’t leaving empty-handed. This time, he was postured. This time, he was ready. “We die here,” he may have said to himself. And indeed, God blessed him and changed his name from Jacob to Israel.
In both encounters, God blessed Jacob, but in the second, there was tangible evidence. There was a deep knowing within him of what had just happened. He could articulate it. He could testify. He could bless others through it.
Let me ask you:
Have you ever had someone ask you, “How was church?”
Or, “What did you learn during your time with the Lord?”
And… you struggled to answer?
I’d like to suggest that your heart posture before entering that service or quiet time may have had something to do with it. Because when we come into God’s presence with expectation, we’re far more likely to recognize His blessing—and to share it with others. And that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Our lives are meant to be a blessing. There’s no doubt that God meets with us every time. The real question is: are we aware of what He’s done?
Posture Determines Perception:
My recommendation is that we continually posture our hearts and spirits to receive from the Lord every single time we seek His face. Sometimes, our greatest blessings are tucked into a single line from the sermon… a moment during worship… or a whispered thought during prayer. God’s ways are so much higher than ours, and He often speaks in ways we least expect. Let me share something personal:
My deliverance from secular music didn’t come from a dramatic altar call. It came from a single line in a sermon I heard around 2017. I don’t remember the preacher or even the message title. But I remember the line:
“What kind of spirit is truly at work in your life if you still delight in secular music?”
That one sentence hit me like lightning. It cut through. It challenged me. And from that day, I dropped secular music—and I haven’t looked back. Glory to God.
Come to receive, come to learn:
So yes, we must also posture our minds to learn something new. Because in this walk of faith, we grow through knowledge and revelation. And every single time we come into God’s presence, there’s always more to discover—if we’re listening.
A simple prayer goes a long way:
One habit I’ve formed is praying before every service or meeting with God. A simple, sincere prayer:
“Dear God, meet with me. Speak to me in ways I understand.”
Short. Sweet. And effective. I believe He hears every sincere prayer—and I believe He responds.
Friend, Jacob’s story reminds us that God is always near. The real shift happens when we become aware. So next time you show up—whether to church, to your Bible, or in quiet prayer—come expectant. Come postured. Come ready.
Because surely…
The Lord is in that place.
Let’s not miss Him.