Jacob is a man on a mission. He has been sent away by his father Isaac to Paddan-aram that he might find a wife. At this point in his life Jacob has been reaping the benefits of his father’s faith and his father’s God largely at the expense of his brother. It’s a compelling story. Whereas Jacob left to find a wife, his journey led him to discover God.
At some point in his journey to find a wife, Jacob becomes tired and decides to rest for the night. He picks a spot, finds a rock for a pillow and goes to sleep. Perhaps he laid down too quickly as the impact of his head on that rock caused him to have this dream:
Then Jacob saw the LORD standing above the ladder, and he said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your grandfather, and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are now sleeping. Your descendants will be as many as the dust of the earth. They will spread west and east, north and south, and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:12-15 NCV)
It would be easy to read this story and see a God who rewards deception. I think we see a God who keeps his promises. To this point the familiar relationship has been between God and Isaac. Situations and circumstances aside, Isaac blessed Jacob and thus confirmed Jacob to carry on “the family business.” I don’t see God rewarding Jacob’s deceit so much as I see God honoring his promise to Isaac. However, I could be wrong. I’ll let Brady flesh out the further dynamics and implications of these events. My purpose, for today, is to focus on Jacob’s reaction to his dream.
Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, but I did not know it.” He was afraid and said, “This place frightens me! It is surely the house of God and the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17 NCV)
Jacob knew things had just changed. He knew this because he had been in the presence of the Lord. He was wrong in thinking that God was in a particular place for God had come to be with him. He was justified in being afraid of being frightened. We’ve tamed God to the point that being in his presence, in our opinion, is like a visit with Fluffy the rehab dog.
There are some powerful implications from this event. Some worthwhile questions to be addressed. For example, “how many times have we been in the presence of the Lord unaware?”
Perhaps the saddest commentary on our religious experience is that for many people actually being in the presence of God is nothing but a dream. We‚Äôve got our tradition and our system down. We go through the motions, mark the list and punch the clock, we “sleep walk” right through our chance to experience the presence of God with each other.
Perhaps it is our fear, a reaction like Jacob’s, that keeps us from our journey to find the presence of the Lord. “It’s different, it’s new, it’s uncomfortable, it stretches me. It’s a nightmare of which I want no part.” These are the thoughts which keep us from God’s presence.
If we are not experiencing the power and presence of God perhaps it is because we are looking in the wrong place? Don’t forget that Jesus did his best work outside the “church building.”
Remember the advice James gives about asking and receiving? He talks about asking for the wrong things and asking with the wrong motives. We read all these asking passages and automatically assume it’s about asking for things. Maybe all along, right before us, we had the power to ask for God? The power to experience the presence of God.
Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NCV
God has promised to draw near to those who are seeking him, (James 4:8). This is not a journey of “fill in the blank.” It is a journey of faith, (Hebrews 11:6).
“Oh God, lead me to experience the power of your presence this day.”
