CONNECTION AND MATURITY (Bible quotes from the ESV)
Connecting with God is a tremendous thing. Its amazing that creator of the universe and who was with out sin, wanted to connect with us. Even with our sin. I mean when someone is sinful or selfish, you usually don't want to connect with them. But God in human likeness, came and made a path for us. Salvation. By dying on the cross for our sins. He made atonement.
Which is amazing when you think about it.
This is of coarse salvation.
We were also made to have relationships with other people. "It is not good for man to be alone… " Genesis 2:18.
Unfortunately, when we betrayed God and broke our relationship with Him, we broke the relationship with each other. (Genesis 3: 6-7). We made it harder to connect. Our sin nature gets in the way and we either hide, or blame someone else (Genesis 3:8-13), or choose to be selfish and minimize relationship to get what we want. (Genesis 3:1-6, 1 John 2:16-17)
God helps us grow out of that.
Jacob got to the point he could dedicate his life, and his business and house to the Lord, (Genesis 33:16-20). El-Elohe-Israel means, God the God of Israel, or Jacob as he was called, and everything that was his. Jacob sanctified his life and possessions unto the Lord. The nation of Israel also came out of this. It started with Abraham and Jacob was able to fulfill that dream.
Jacob didn't start out being able to be separate and dedicating his life or build a life. God took him through a growth process, so he could get to the point he could dedicate his life unto the Lord, like the priests did to the implements they used in the temple. "Setting them aside for special purpose" unto the Lord.
