BULLETIN ARTICLE
25 August 2019
WE ARE NEVER ALONE
How far would one go to get married? In order to take for himself a wife, Jacob had to travel about 800km north from Beersheba in the northern Negev desert to Haran in Paddan Aram (that’s perhaps the distance from Singapore to Penang, and a little more). Given the desert weather and terrain, it must have been a difficult journey that Jacob took.
Now imagine you were Jacob. Seemingly alone without your family … not sure if your journey to your quest would really lead to success … running away from your elder twin brother Esau who is angry enough to kill you … not yet at the halfway mark of your long journey … the heat of the desert starting to take its toll on you … It would have been very easy to be discouraged and perhaps give up.
Yet in the midst of all this, the LORD appeared to Jacob in a dream, standing at the top of the stairway to heaven where angels were ascending and descending on it. In Jacob’s loneliness and uncertainty, the LORD showed him a glorious vision and reiterated to him his good promises. These same promises were made to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac – promises of land, numerous descendants, that he and his offspring would be a blessing to all peoples on earth, and that God himself will watch over him and be with him. Surely Jacob was much refreshed and encouraged by the LORD’s visitation.
There are times when we may feel like Jacob – alone, uncertain about what is in store for us, and perhaps tired from what we have gone through or will need to go through. During such times, are we able to rest (even sleep!) and trust in God’s good promises to us? “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6). Yes, he will never leave us nor forsake us. We are never alone! This is again reiterated to us in Hebrews 13:5 – God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”. Thus, we can put our confidence in God and not on earthly things. One Bible commentator explained that: “When we have nothing but God’s promises … it gives us hope. Is his assurances enough or do we need to see more and test him?”
The clear lesson we have learnt from Genesis this year is that God is faithful and will carry out his promises, even promises made across many generations. From this Jacob narrative we see that God did fulfil his promise to Jacob and brought him back not only safely but prosperously. We must learn to rest in the assurance that the LORD, who is Jacob’s God, is also MY God.
