A Promise of Presence

Romans 8: 12-25; Genesis 28: 10-19a

FPC; 7-20-08

            In isolation and fear, Jacob is on the run. Nightfall is approaching. So, he stops at a certain place and lies on the ground. All this fugitive has for a pillow is a hard stone. Before he falls asleep, I wonder if his mind began to replay the events of recent days.    

            I wonder if he began to recall that day he was in the kitchen making stew. Esau had just returned home after a tiresome day of hunting in the fields. “Jacob, I’m hungry. Tell me what I must do to get a bowl of that stew.” “Give me your birthright”. (As the eldest son, Esau rightfully possessed the birthright.) “Give me your birthright, Daddy’s blessing, Daddy’s inheritance, and I’ll give you some stew”. Esau, was famished and so he verbally (stupidly perhaps) agreed to surrender the birthright to Jacob.

            Then with a conniving assist from his mother, who favors Jacob over Esau, Jacob tricks his father into granting the birthright to him. When Esau discovers that he no longer possesses the birthright, the narrator of the story says, “Esau hated his brother”, which is probably an understatement. In fact Esau becomes enraged and says publicly “The day my father dies, I am going to kill Jacob.” It is a serious threat.

            Jacob is on the run, trying to escape with his life. He is tired, so he stops for the night with only a hard stone for a pillow. Though likely afraid of who or what may be lurking in the wilderness surrounding him, Jacob's tiredness causes him to fall into a deep sleep.

            He has a wonderful dream.  He sees angels ascending and descending a ladder or stairway. They are busy doing the work of the Lord. In the dream, the Lord is standing alongside Jacob and speaks to him:

          “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.”

          This dream awakens Jacob to the truth that, contrary to appearances, he is not alone.  Though banished from his own home, this frightened fugitive is reminded that he has not been banished from God’s presence. 

          In God’s presence, Jacob now sees an alternative to his life of deception, isolation and fear.  As he rubs the sleep from his eyes,  Jacob knows he and Esau are not the primary actors in the drama of his life, but that God is.  That certain place which had no name is now consecrated as a holy place and is given the name Bethel, which means literally “house of God”. 

          Trustingly, Jacob accepts the assurance of God’s presence.  “Surely the Lord is in this place.” 

          This ancient story would have us recognize that God is present, not only when we are praying, singing the songs of faith or serving Christ through deeds of compassion and care, but also when we are on the run, trying to escape our misdeeds and the pain they have caused ourselves and the people around us.  This story invites us to incorporate the promise of God’s presence into the depths of our being, not only when we experience inner peace but also when we are filled with fear. 

          A little girl was vacationing at the beach with her family.  Building castles with her tiny shovel and bucket, she managed to wander away from her parents. 

          Suddenly a great wave knocked her off her feet and into the ocean.  She managed to stand back up after a struggle, but the ebbing tidal surge was sweeping the sand out from under her feet.  Then another wave struck, and this time, she had no footing at all.

          She screamed for help.  From her child-eye view, all she could see was the vast ocean in front of her and she found herself deeply frightened. 

          Just then, two strong arms reached out from behind, scooped her up, and pulled her out of the water to safety.  It was her dad.  “I am here,” he said. 

That is God’s assurance to each of us.

          The biblical narrative reveals all of Jacob’s flaws.  He is running from his life and he is running for his life. The tidal wave of death is threatening to swallow him.   

In his running, his isolation and fear, God is present. 

          Sometimes you and I run hard.  Sometimes all we have for a pillow is a hard stone.  Sometimes our flaws are all too obvious to ourselves and to the people around us.  But God never abandons us, never, ever, leaves us in isolation.  Is there any better promise than the promise of God’s presence?  No misdeeds of our past and no missteps in our present can keep God from coming to us with love and care, reminding us all the time, “I am here.” 

          In God’s presence we realize an alternative to our world of fear and guilt.  That alternative is all about a God who wraps his arms of grace around us, always and forever.  

          So, the text invites us to embrace the good news that our grace-filled Lord is always alongside us.  Jacob’s dream became, not only his reality, but also is our reality. 

Where can I go from your spirit?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. . . .
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day.

          A Christian man read those words to a friend who was at the point of death.  Upon hearing those words read, she said: “That’s the best.”

          The good news, the best news, the news that is as ancient as the story of Jacob is this:  God is with us, now and always.

          Thanks be to God!