Third Sunday after Creation (CL)

Genesis 28:10-22

¹⁰ Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. ¹² And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ¹³ And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. ¹⁴ Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. ¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” ¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” ¹⁷ And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” 

¹⁸ So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. ¹⁹ He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. ²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, ²¹ so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, ²² and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” 

Jacob is looking forward to his return to be with family once again. He has partially given up all his inheritance other than his blessings. He has run away from home out of fear. God does not come to tell him to turn around, like Jonah. God rather comes to provide him with a promise, which is the same promise given to Abram and Isaac.

We know the promises God has made to Jacob. We even know how these promises were fulfilled. But we still struggle with remembering God's promises to each of us. Even here there is a great promise made to each of us, God promises to be with Jacob, and to keep Jacob.

You may argue about what "keep" means here, but we can easily recognize God is with his people. God has promised to be present in your life. Jesus promises to be with us, when two or three are gathered in his name. Jesus promises to be present in his very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. So we can recognize the Lord is with you, even now as you read this blogpost. God is with you in all your struggles.