Living in the Spirit
July 18, 2017

Scripture Reading: Genesis 28:10-19a

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the 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. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him 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; and 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 all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that 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.’ –Genesis 28:10-15

Jacobs is running away from the wrath of his brother Esau after he and his mother tricked his brother out of his birthright. Esau and perhaps his father, Isaac, were not happy. Facing the consequences of our actions is one of the hardest things we will ever do. The murky stuff is always the most difficult to discern. Was it fair that the oldest son gets the lion’s share of his father’s wealth? This common Biblical practice did not survive in the USA. Was it right that a mother helps one son cheat another? There is much to unpack in this story. There was much running through Jacob’s mind as he settled down to sleep apparently a safe distance from danger.

God is faithful to God’s children. The Lord came to Jacob in a dream and renewed his hope. The saving grace of God seems to always come with the admonishment to be a blessing to all the families of the earth. We skip over that part sometimes. Jesus put it this way in Luke 12:48,

 But one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, thank you for loving us enough to forgive us. Show us the way to care for and nourish others on our faith journey. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.