Not because it wasn’t there but because you weren’t aware. That’s how many believers live: walking through holy moments with their eyes closed, brushing past the divine as if it were ordinary. God doesn’t just appear in mountaintop experiences or revival and special meetings. Sometimes, He interrupts the ordinary, the messy, the fearful and heaven touches earth in places we least expect.

In the Old Testament, when God revealed Himself, people didn’t move on casually. They named the place, built an altar, or gave God a name reflecting what they had encountered. These were not just cultural habits, they were responses to divine interruptions that shifted their awareness forever! It was palpable that something had changed.

Jacob’s encounter at Bethel is a prime example. He wasn’t seeking God. He wasn’t on a mountain fasting. He was fleeing, confused, guilty, and afraid after deceiving his brother. Even in that state, heaven opened over him. Why? Because encounters with God are not always about where you are, but about who God is.

As Jacob slept, he encountered a vision from God. When he woke up, his words were both profound:

Genesis 28:16
New King James Version
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

This is where many believers still live: God is present, but they do not know it. They wait for a special meeting, a prophetic word, or a crisis to “feel” God, unaware that His presence was always there. Jacob named that place Bethel, meaning “House of God,” because he realized heaven had touched earth, right in the middle of his fear.

Throughout scripture, places like Eden, Bethel, and the Tabernacle were known as points of spiritual overlap, where God’s realm intersected with man’s world. After the fall, such moments were rare, but they pointed to God’s desire to dwell among His people. Yet, these were just shadows of what was to come.

When Christ came? everything changed!

John 1:51
New King James Version
51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Jesus was pointing back to Jacob’s vision at Bethel, but now revealing that He Himself is the connection between heaven and earth. No longer would divine encounters be tied to physical locations like Bethel, Jesus became the ultimate overlap! Through His death and resurrection, the veil was torn, and now, by the Holy Spirit, every believer carries the presence of God.

Hallelujah!!

Paul reinforces this truth:

1 Corinthians 3:16
New King James Version
16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Dear believer, you are no longer waiting for Bethel—you are Bethel!

The presence of God is not something you visit; it is Someone who dwells within you.

The question is no longer, “Is God here?” The real question is, “Am I aware?”

Jacob’s story is a warning to every generation: Don’t live unaware of divine presence.

How many days have you rushed through life, oblivious to the God who walks with you? How many decisions have you made without pausing to recognize that heaven is closer than your breath?

David understood this awareness wasn’t automatic. It required intentionality:

Psalm 16:8
New King James Version
8 “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

David set the Lord before him, he cultivated awareness. He didn’t wait for goosebumps or external signs. He lived with the constant knowledge that God was near, and that awareness anchored him in every season.

Now, through Christ, we are called to do the same. Paul exhorts believers:

Colossians 3:1-2
New King James Version
1 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

This is how you host God’s presence, by setting your mind, your focus, your affection on Him throughout the day. Not just when you pray, but as a lifestyle.

But let’s be clear: awareness is not passivity. God’s presence is available, but it must be cultivated. Jacob’s Bethel moment was God’s initiative, but it demanded a response. He built an altar, made a vow, and marked that place as holy.

Likewise, you must respond!

And yes, God still uses men as part of this awakening. Paul teaches in:

Ephesians 4:11-12
New King James Version
11 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

These ministry gifts stir us, teach us, and remind us of what should be a daily reality. But don’t depend on external voices to sustain what should be an internal awareness. Thank God for the prophets, but you don’t need a prophetic word to know God is near. You don’t need a revival meeting to encounter Him. You need to wake up! To recognize that every moment can be holy ground if your eyes are open.

Jacob’s awakening at Bethel wasn’t the climax of his story, it was the beginning. And it must be the same for you. Awareness is the first step. Before you can contend like Jacob did at Peniel, you must first see like Jacob did at Bethel.

God is not far. The veil has been torn. His Spirit dwells within you. The only thing left is for you to recognize and respond.

Don’t let it be said of you, “Surely the Lord was in this place, and I did not know it.”

Let today be your Bethel moment, the day you awaken, the day you decide that hosting God’s presence will no longer be occasional, but a daily pursuit.

Prayer Point
Father, open my eyes to Your constant presence. Teach me to set my mind on You, to build daily altars, and to invite you into every area of my life.