January 14 Devotional
Today’s Reading: Genesis 34–36
Scripture Focus
“In fact, let’s arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and we will give you our daughters for your sons. And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy property in the area.” Then Shechem himself spoke to Dinah’s father and brothers. “Please be kind to me, and let me marry her,” he begged. “I will give you whatever you ask.”
Genesis 34:9-11 NLT
“But if we do this, all their livestock and possessions will eventually be ours. Come, let’s agree to their terms and let them settle here among us.”
Genesis 34:23 NLT
Obedience that leads back to worship and the reminder of God Almighty’s promise:
“Then God said to Jacob, ‘Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.’ So Jacob told everyone in his household, ‘Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.’”
Genesis 35:1-3 NLT
“Then God said, ‘I am El-Shaddai—God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.’”
Genesis 35:11-12 NLT
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Reflection
How tricky the enemy is.
What looks like a solution is often a trap.
In Genesis 34, we see two sides driven by sinful motives. Shechem and his people were after wealth and gain. Dinah’s brothers were driven by anger and revenge. Both sides were operating in the flesh, and the enemy was more than willing to use it all. His goal was destruction—on both sides—anything to bring chaos, compromise, and disruption, especially to the family line through which Jesus would one day come.
The enemy doesn’t always come with obvious danger. Sometimes he comes with offers that sound reasonable, even generous: “The land is open to you… settle here… trade with us.” But beneath the words was greed, manipulation, and a plan to take what was never theirs. That’s how deception works—it sounds like peace but leads to loss.
Jacob’s life had never been easy or comfortable. He didn’t live a “kick back” kind of faith. But over time, we see him learning how to walk with God. And when God tells Jacob to return to Bethel, Jacob doesn’t argue. He doesn’t delay. He obeys.
Before moving, Jacob calls his household to action: get rid of the idols, purify yourselves, change your clothes. Bethel wasn’t just a location—it was a return to devotion, to worship, to remembering who God is. Jacob knew they couldn’t carry compromise into a place God had marked as holy.
And there—after obedience—God meets him again.
God reminds Jacob of His name: El-Shaddai, God Almighty.
God reaffirms His promise—the same promise given to Abraham and Isaac—now spoken clearly and personally to Jacob. What the enemy tried to derail through violence and deception, God redirected through obedience and repentance.
Even though what Jacob’s sons did was terrible, God used the moment to pull Jacob out of a place where he had stopped too long. A place he was never meant to settle. God brought him back to Bethel—to worship, to promise, to purpose.
The enemy wanted Jacob stuck.
God wanted Jacob restored.
And obedience made all the difference.
⸻
Lesson for Me
This passage reminds me that not every opportunity is from God, and not every agreement leads to peace. What looks like a solution can actually be a trap if it pulls me away from obedience, holiness, or trust in the Lord. The enemy is subtle—he uses compromise, emotion, and even “reasonable” offers to try to keep me stuck in places God never told me to settle.
Like Jacob, I see that walking with God doesn’t mean life is easy, but it does mean learning to listen and respond when He speaks. When God called Jacob back to Bethel, obedience required action—letting go of idols, purifying the heart, and choosing worship again. God honored that obedience by reminding Jacob of who He is and reaffirming His promises.
This teaches me that God is faithful to redirect my steps, even after failure or mess. When I obey quickly and return to Him, He meets me there—not with condemnation, but with reminders of His mighty name, His presence, and His promises over my life.
⸻
Application Questions
1.Are there any situations in my life right now that look like a good solution but require compromise or pull me away from obedience to God?
2.Have I settled in a place—spiritually, emotionally, or relationally—where God never told me to stop, instead of moving forward in faith?
3.Are there any “idols” the Lord may be asking me to put away—habits, attitudes, fears, or distractions—that are hindering deeper worship and obedience?
4.When God gives direction, do I respond immediately like Jacob, or do I delay, justify, or wait until circumstances force me to move?
5.How does remembering God as El-Shaddai, God Almighty, strengthen my trust in His promises and His ability to redeem difficult situations?
⸻
Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for opening my eyes to see how subtle the enemy can be and how faithful You are to redirect my steps. Help me to discern what is truly from You and to recognize when something that looks good is actually a trap. Give me a heart that listens quickly and obeys fully when You speak.
Like Jacob, help me to put away anything that does not belong in my walk with You—anything that competes with my devotion or keeps me stuck where I was never meant to settle. Lead me back to places of worship, surrender, and trust. Remind me of who You are—El-Shaddai, God Almighty—and strengthen my faith in every promise You have spoken over my life.
I choose obedience. I choose trust. I choose to follow You wherever You lead.
In Jesus’ name, amen. 🙏
Today’s Reading: Genesis 34–36
Scripture Focus
“In fact, let’s arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and we will give you our daughters for your sons. And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy property in the area.” Then Shechem himself spoke to Dinah’s father and brothers. “Please be kind to me, and let me marry her,” he begged. “I will give you whatever you ask.”
Genesis 34:9-11 NLT
“But if we do this, all their livestock and possessions will eventually be ours. Come, let’s agree to their terms and let them settle here among us.”
Genesis 34:23 NLT
Obedience that leads back to worship and the reminder of God Almighty’s promise:
“Then God said to Jacob, ‘Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.’ So Jacob told everyone in his household, ‘Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.’”
Genesis 35:1-3 NLT
“Then God said, ‘I am El-Shaddai—God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.’”
Genesis 35:11-12 NLT
⸻
Reflection
How tricky the enemy is.
What looks like a solution is often a trap.
In Genesis 34, we see two sides driven by sinful motives. Shechem and his people were after wealth and gain. Dinah’s brothers were driven by anger and revenge. Both sides were operating in the flesh, and the enemy was more than willing to use it all. His goal was destruction—on both sides—anything to bring chaos, compromise, and disruption, especially to the family line through which Jesus would one day come.
The enemy doesn’t always come with obvious danger. Sometimes he comes with offers that sound reasonable, even generous: “The land is open to you… settle here… trade with us.” But beneath the words was greed, manipulation, and a plan to take what was never theirs. That’s how deception works—it sounds like peace but leads to loss.
Jacob’s life had never been easy or comfortable. He didn’t live a “kick back” kind of faith. But over time, we see him learning how to walk with God. And when God tells Jacob to return to Bethel, Jacob doesn’t argue. He doesn’t delay. He obeys.
Before moving, Jacob calls his household to action: get rid of the idols, purify yourselves, change your clothes. Bethel wasn’t just a location—it was a return to devotion, to worship, to remembering who God is. Jacob knew they couldn’t carry compromise into a place God had marked as holy.
And there—after obedience—God meets him again.
God reminds Jacob of His name: El-Shaddai, God Almighty.
God reaffirms His promise—the same promise given to Abraham and Isaac—now spoken clearly and personally to Jacob. What the enemy tried to derail through violence and deception, God redirected through obedience and repentance.
Even though what Jacob’s sons did was terrible, God used the moment to pull Jacob out of a place where he had stopped too long. A place he was never meant to settle. God brought him back to Bethel—to worship, to promise, to purpose.
The enemy wanted Jacob stuck.
God wanted Jacob restored.
And obedience made all the difference.
⸻
Lesson for Me
This passage reminds me that not every opportunity is from God, and not every agreement leads to peace. What looks like a solution can actually be a trap if it pulls me away from obedience, holiness, or trust in the Lord. The enemy is subtle—he uses compromise, emotion, and even “reasonable” offers to try to keep me stuck in places God never told me to settle.
Like Jacob, I see that walking with God doesn’t mean life is easy, but it does mean learning to listen and respond when He speaks. When God called Jacob back to Bethel, obedience required action—letting go of idols, purifying the heart, and choosing worship again. God honored that obedience by reminding Jacob of who He is and reaffirming His promises.
This teaches me that God is faithful to redirect my steps, even after failure or mess. When I obey quickly and return to Him, He meets me there—not with condemnation, but with reminders of His mighty name, His presence, and His promises over my life.
⸻
Application Questions
1.Are there any situations in my life right now that look like a good solution but require compromise or pull me away from obedience to God?
2.Have I settled in a place—spiritually, emotionally, or relationally—where God never told me to stop, instead of moving forward in faith?
3.Are there any “idols” the Lord may be asking me to put away—habits, attitudes, fears, or distractions—that are hindering deeper worship and obedience?
4.When God gives direction, do I respond immediately like Jacob, or do I delay, justify, or wait until circumstances force me to move?
5.How does remembering God as El-Shaddai, God Almighty, strengthen my trust in His promises and His ability to redeem difficult situations?
⸻
Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for opening my eyes to see how subtle the enemy can be and how faithful You are to redirect my steps. Help me to discern what is truly from You and to recognize when something that looks good is actually a trap. Give me a heart that listens quickly and obeys fully when You speak.
Like Jacob, help me to put away anything that does not belong in my walk with You—anything that competes with my devotion or keeps me stuck where I was never meant to settle. Lead me back to places of worship, surrender, and trust. Remind me of who You are—El-Shaddai, God Almighty—and strengthen my faith in every promise You have spoken over my life.
I choose obedience. I choose trust. I choose to follow You wherever You lead.
In Jesus’ name, amen. 🙏
Luke 14 ….