"Am I in God's stead?" Genesis 30:2',

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All our mercies are to be traced up to our God!

All our miseries are to be traced up to ourselves!

We are constantly making ourselves wretched—by departing from our God, or by putting creatures in His place!

We often put people and things in God's stead:
loving them inordinately; 
trusting them instead of Him; 
idolizing them instead of adoring Him;
expecting them to relieve, comfort, or deliver us.

But 'insufficiency' is written upon every created object!

No creature can fill the place of Jehovah!

Take the richest - the wisest - the kindest - the nearest relative or friend—and you must exclaim, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!" 

But Jehovah can fill the place of all:
our fathers, 
our spouses, 
our children, 
our wealth, 
our health.
Yes, He can fill the place of all things!

Creatures may say: 
"Am I in God's stead? 
If not, why do you look to me? 
Why depend on me? 
Why do you expect from me? 
Why so grieve to part with me? 
Am I in God's stead? If so, either He will remove me—or I shall disappoint you!"