MAKING GOD PERSONAL

I noticed while studying the Book of Genesis in Sunday School, that the words, "my God," only appear one time in the entire book.  And on that occasion, it was Jacob acting like the vast majority of folks today.  He was making his relationship with Almighty God, conditional!  The text reads: 

"And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God'" (Gen. 28:20-21).

How many times have you heard of people saying something like, "If God will just heal my son, I will start going to church!"  Or, "If He will just keep me out of jail this time, I will never do that again!"  Heard less often, but often enough, is the "give me" prayer.  "If God will just let me win the lottery, I will donate a fourth to a local church!"  These folks have an "IF - THEN" relationship with the Creator of the Universe.  Sad!  They don't realize that God guarantees to always do what is the ultimate best for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28)!  We really don't even know how, or for what to pray; He even does that for us (Rom. 8:26-27)!

Fourteen times in Genesis, God is said to be the "God of" someone or something; but He is never claimed to be "my God" by a person himself.  He is the God of heaven and earth (24:3) of Abraham (26:24); of Isaac (31:5; 31:29; 46:1; 46:3); of Abraham and Isaac (28:13; 31:42); of Abraham and Nahor (31:53); of Bethel (31:13); and of Jacob (43:23; 49:24-25; 50:17).  God is first called the "God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob" in the Book of Exodus (Ex. 3:6).

Surprisingly, the first person to call God "my God," is Moses (Ex. 15:2).  Even more surprising, is the fact that the second person to call Him "my God," was Balaam (Num. 22:18)!  Joshua acknowledged God as "my God" (Josh. 9:23).  Ruth did (Ruth 1:16).  David did (2 Sam. 22:7).  Solomon did (1 Kg. 3:7).  Elijah did (1 Kg. 17:20). And so did Micaiah (2 Ch. 18:13); Ezra (Ezra 7:28); Nehemiah (Neh. 2:8); Isaiah (Isa. 7:13); Jeremiah (Jer. 31:18); Daniel (Dan. 6:22); Hosea (Hos. 9:8); Jonah (Jon. 2:6); Micah (Mic. 7:7); Habbakuk (Hab. 1:12); Zechariah (Zech. 11:4); and of course, Jesus (Mt. 27:46)!

But, even though many people in the Bible called God their own, the question I have for you is, is He your God?  Have you trusted in the God who sacrificed His Son so that you could be free from your sin debt, and so that by faith in Him, you could become a child of God Himself?  Jesus offered Himself as THE WAY to God!  Jesus' Resurrection will be celebrated in churches all over the world this coming Sunday; will you be there?  Is Jesus more than a Bible character to you?  Is He your LORD?  If not, give Him your life; allow Him to be your God - you will never regret it!