Genesis 28
Where do we see God keeping His promises?
In this chapter of Genesis, Jacob is basically on the run. Isaac tells him to get out of dodge and go marry one of his uncle Laban’s daughters, not a Canaanite woman. On his way to Paddan-aram when the sun is going down he finds a good spot to close his eyes and a stone to rest his head. Once asleep, he has a dream of a staircase that begins on earth and extends all the way up to heaven, with angels moving up and down. God is at the top and speaks to him. Most importantly, He says, “I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.”
Notice, God promises His presence to Jacob, but doesn’t promise his life to be easy. He says, “I will not leave you”. You see, His main promise is not comfort and assurance throughout Jacob’s life, but instead, it’s companionship along the way. Jacob wakes up and treats that encounter more like, ‘If God takes care of me, then the Lord will be my God’. That isn’t the way God necessarily intended it, but I believe is more proof that God works with people who are still figuring things out.
What promise are we invited to trust today?
Genesis 28 is a perfect example of showing us how we are expected to be ‘perfect’ Christians and followers of God. We can never be perfect. We don’t have to always say the perfect prayer. We shouldn’t worry that we never experience a divine encounter with God. Any ordinary place can become a sacred place to us with Him. God doesn’t have to meet us always in the steadiness of our faith, it could be in the evolution of it. God’s presence is always with us, even when we don’t know where we are going.
This chapter shows that God shows up when we are uncertain. He promises to walk with us rather than fix everything instantly. Often, He turns ordinary, uncomfortable moments into turning points. He promises to always be with us no matter what. You can certainly trust that.