In Order. Be Aware
January 21, 2017. Genesis 27-29.
Jacob is the definition of an annoying younger sibling. First he convinces his brother Esau to trade his birthright for a meal. But that wasn’t enough. Jacob dresses up like his brother and convinces his father he is Esau, and receives that which was set aside for Esau.
Because of the terrible conflict between the family, Jacob leaves and sets out to Harran. On his way there, night falls and he decides to camp out somewhere along the way. Jacob falls asleep and God appears to him in a dream.
Genesis 28:10-15
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it[d] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jacob’s response to the dream is “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Do you have a tendency to think the same way. It’s easy to see God in blessings, but a true show of faith is seeing Him in trials.
Jacob had just left his home, his family (and obviously he was a huge Momma’s boy), and his entire life. He was probably feeling incredibly lonely, isolated, and anxious about his future. Jacob couldn’t imagine God being a part of this transition and was surprised when He showed up. He didn’t realize God was there, and had been there the entire time. He wasn’t aware of his presence. Be aware of God in every situation, and in every situation you can be confident that He is at work. He always shows up.