Where Are You Laying Your Head?



Posted: Tuesday, February 19, 2008

by
Paige's Inspired Designs, LLC

Genesis 28:10-19 cf. Judges 16:17-19

When we are tired, we can sometimes ignore where we are placing our heads to rest. Some people know how to make a stone their pillow. I learned how to make my coat my pillow for my children. This discussion is about two biblical men who made their pillow from two opposite things. Sometimes we need to heed where we lay our head.

Genesis 28:10-19 is the story of Jacob. As he left Beersheba, he headed toward Haran. Eventually, Jacob became physically tired. He decided to bed down for the night. Jacob took a nearby stone and made it his pillow. Genesis 28:11

While he slept, Jacob had a dream. Where he lain down, there was a ladder whose top reached to heaven. At the top, there was God with angels around Him. The angels were descending and ascending upon the ladder. Genesis 28:12 Note what Jacob hears God say:

Genesis 28:13 (MSG)

13 Then God was right before him, saying, "I am God, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. I'm giving the ground on which you are sleeping to you and to your descendants.

There was Jacob resting--getting a good night's sleep right at the throne of God! God had a Word for Jacob. He promised him that he would inherit the land upon which he was sleeping on. Imagine that! Laying down to sleep, and God reveals to you in a dream that where you are resting shall be your inheritance. Talking about sleeping in the right place!

When Jacob awakened from this wonderful dream, he did not forget what that place was. He changed the name of the place from Luz to Bethel. Bethel means "house of God." Jacob realized that he had walked right into the House of God. There he had communion with the Lord. He set up an altar as a memorial because that was a place of remembrance. Jacob was inspired to make a vow to the Lord right there in God's House. Note Genesis 28:20-21 .

[ 28:20 ] 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, [21] so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Jehovah will be my God,

Genesis 28:20-21 (American Standard Version)

Jacob says in the above verses that if God will be his provider, then he will serve Him. God keeps His Word and provides for him as he travels. This is wonderful! God is your provider. Jacob gained much by resting his head in the right place.

Judges 16:17-19

[ 16:17 ] And he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. [18] And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in their hand. [19] And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

Judges 16:17-19 (American Standard Version)

This is the story of Samson and a woman named Delilah. Samson kept making the wrong choice in women. Because of this, there were dire consequences. The consequence was that he laid his head down in the enemy's lap after telling his secret of his divine strength. When he awakened from his sleep, he found himself stripped of the divinely-given power. Not only was he just a normal man, but his enemies chained him. He became their slave, and they blinded him. He slept in the wrong place. He gained nothing, but lost everything.

You and I should learn from these two men. Where are we laying our heads? Are we careful or careless? Are we being deceived by our eyes? Is our flesh taking us to ground that has plans to enslave and blind us? Or are we on ground which turns out to be holy ground. It can be ground where the Divine Presence of God is resting. Then we will be able to bask in His Presence. We will awaken with renewed fellowship. God will also reveal Himself to us.

Which do you think is better? I think we should be careful where we rest our heads.

Penny Williams is a 55-year old mother of two sons.  She lives in North Carolina with her cousin and his family.  She is an ordained evangelist with two blogs.  Penny is in the process of revamping her website which will include devotionals and bible lessons for women.  She hopes to reach women for the gospel of Jesus Christ with the hope of encouraging and strengthening today's woman.  She believes that God has called her to write for such a time as this. 

She is attending Liberty University Online College with the intention of completing her degree in Religious Education.  She hopes to complete her first book this year. 
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Teresa Ortiz
 3 years 330 days ago.
187 fans.
Hi Penny, very nice job in explaining the contrast and the need to be watchful. I would just encourage you to go back and edit the mistakes, it makes it a bit easier to read. I know I get going on a thought and don't always catch my mistakes and I appreciate the advice from some of the writer's here. God bless you and your ministry! Again, I am looking forward to reading more from you. Blessings, Teresa
» left by Penny Williams 3 years 267 days ago.
2 fans.
Thanks..I'll do just that. Sometimes I submit a work in progress. I thought I checked this, but that's okay. Look for an updated version coming soon!
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