A few weeks ago, we celebrated the baptism of several individuals. As I stood there watching each person declaring Jesus is Lord, I remember having a Jacob-like moment, recognizing, “Surely the Lord is in this place.” I looked around and realized I wasn’t the only one who felt that way — some had tears streaming down their cheeks, others filled with overwhelming joy, others in awe of what we were witnessing.
As my journey with God has grown and continues to grow, most of the time, I can say that I know God is with me. But sometimes, I lose awareness of how close He really is. In that holy moment, I was brought back to the nearness of the Lord’s Holy presence. Jacob’s awareness turned to worship, praising God. There is “none other than the house of God, this is the gate of heaven.”