Life is full of choices and detours which have consequences. How do we navigate all of this? A major problem is that we forget to walk in step with God and know his plans and purposes  for us. So we need to remind ourselves  daily of these things because we forget. This is what  Jacob does and he stops to be reminded again of the person of God and the promises of God before he takes a major step in a seemingly opposite direction out of the promised  land where Gods promises  and blessings were.