“Surely the Lord is in this place (makom), and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:16-17
Do you ever wrestle with God? I do. I wrestle over things I don’t understand and things I don’t like (often the same things) and it sometimes comes in the form of pleading. In Genesis, we see that Jacob did too. Jacob was afraid, was facing great losses (mostly of his own making), and knew he was powerless in and of himself. He needed God desperately. At the end of his wrestling, Jacob declared that God was there, or Ha Makom.
Makom refers to a place or space. We first see it in the creation account when God separated the waters into a place. But Jacob uses it for the first time in reference to God. He said God is in this place – where he met God, wrestled with God and was blessed.
We are finite, limited by space and time. God is not. Yet He reveals Himself in ways to help us understand Him and to see various aspects of His infinite character and qualities. He gives us ways to help us know Him, such as interacting with us in a particular place, a Holy Place. His boundless Presence knowing what we need – a vision like Jacob, a burning bush, a still voice in our heart, a roaring peace in our soul.
God becomes The Place, HaMakom, for us. Any place where we meet Him, wrestle with Him, He is there. He becomes the Place of prayer, the Place of peace, the Place of rest. The Place.
Though God is omnipresent, He is also in a spot with you. He is Magnificent, Everpresent and Glorious – available to all who call on Him - yet so intimate He interacts with each one of us right where we’re at.
God is The Place, Ha Makom. He is MY PLACE. The place where I am raw and can find blessing and peace. The place where I experience His Presence in life altering ways. May I always run to The Place, for there He is.
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19
