The Journey

The Journey

Happy Sabbath!  I love the journey.  There is something about going somewhere that just thrills my soul.  This past week I headed down to Sandestin Florida for some meetings and took the journey by car through the GA country side.   It was such a lovely journey.  I fell in love with pecan trees, and old oaks laden with moss.  Today we are going to study a journey.  Journeys, like this one are significant transition points in a story or in ones life.  Journeys can be the in between.  The end of an era, and the beginning of the next chapter.

Question of the day:  If you could start a journey, what would it be?

READ together:  Genesis 28

Let the journey begin...  

Jacob Is Sent Away

28 So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 May [a]God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your [b]descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham.” 5 Then Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he charged him, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased [c]his father Isaac; 9 and Esau went to Ishmael, and [d]married, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.

This is an interesting part of the story I had forgotten about.  Esau desperately trying to be accepted by his parents.  Yet, it he was missing the mark.  

How many times do we try to please our heavenly father by our actions that make as much sense as Esau?

Are we really living in a way that pleases Him?  What type of life pleases Him?  

Too many times our "obedience" is like putting a band aid on a gaping wound.  God doesn't need or want our band aids, He wants and asks that we come to Him and let him heal the wound.  He asks that we come to Him and let Him do a transformation work in our life, that will result in obedience that makes sense.  

It is a whole life change.  

If someone is trying to change the way they eat, to live a more healthful lifestyle,  eating an apple a day, while the rest of the day they binge on all things unhealthy, they couldn't say they were eating a healthful diet. 

What has God been asking of you?  

Have you been eating an apple a day, while bingeing on trash, or are you willing to go ALL in? 

Let's continue reading...

Jacob’s Dream

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He [e]came to [f]a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it [g]under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood [h]above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your [i]descendants. 14 Your [j]descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will [k]spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your [l]descendants 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 [m]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 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 Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put [n]under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.19 He called the name of that place [o]Bethel; however, [p]previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I [q]take, and will give me [r]food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in [s]safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

What do you think was Jacobs state of mind as he prepared to rest? 

Ellen white writes about the struggle taking place in his heart.  He knew he had done wrong and now because of his brothers anger (a result of the wrong done by Jacob), he was having to leave his home, his parents.  She talks about the weight on his mind and heart.  

"Threatened with death by the wrath of Esau, Jacob went out from his father's home a fugitive; but he carried with him the father's blessing; Isaac had renewed to him the covenant promise, and had bidden him, as its inheritor, to seek a wife of his mother's family in Mesopotamia. Yet it was with a deeply troubled heart that Jacob set out on his lonely journey. With only his staff in his hand he must travel hundreds of miles through a country inhabited by wild, roving tribes. In his remorse and timidity he sought to avoid men, lest he should be traced by his angry brother. He feared that he had lost forever the blessing that God had purposed to give him; and Satan was at hand to press temptations upon him. 

The evening of the second day found him far away from his father's tents. He felt that he was an outcast, and he knew that all this trouble had been brought upon him by his own wrong course. The darkness of despair pressed upon his soul, and he hardly dared to pray. But he was so utterly lonely that he felt the need of protection from God as he had never felt it before. With weeping and deep humiliation he confessed his sin, and entreated for some evidence that he was not utterly forsaken. Still his burdened heart found no relief. He had lost all confidence in himself, and he feared that the God of his fathers had cast him off. PP 183.2

But God did not forsake Jacob. His mercy was still extended to His erring, distrustful servant. The Lord compassionately revealed just what Jacob needed—a Saviour. He had sinned, but his heart was filled with gratitude as he saw revealed a way by which he could be restored to the favor of God."

So here we have a guy struggling with his wrong doing, and God comes to him in a dream.  

What does that tell us about God?

What does God say to Jacob?  

If we look at God as a parent, what can we as parents learn from this interaction?

Does God in anyway shame Jacob?

What is Jacobs response?

Ellen White writes about his beautifully. 

"Jacob was not here seeking to make terms with God. The Lord had already promised him prosperity, and this vow was the outflow of a heart filled with gratitude for the assurance of God's love and mercy. Jacob felt that God had claims upon him which he must acknowledge, and that the special tokens of divine favor granted him demanded a return. So does every blessing bestowed upon us call for a response to the Author of all our mercies. The Christian should often review his past life and recall with gratitude the precious deliverances that God has wrought for him, supporting him in trial, opening ways before him when all seemed dark and forbidding, refreshing him when ready to faint. He should recognize all of them as evidences of the watch care of heavenly angels. In view of these innumerable blessings he should often ask, with subdued and grateful heart, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” Psalm 116:12. PP 187.3Our time, our talents, our property, should be sacredly devoted to Him who has given us these blessings in trust. Whenever a special deliverance is wrought in our behalf, or new and unexpected favors are granted us, we should acknowledge God's goodness, not only by expressing our gratitude in words, but, like Jacob, by gifts and offerings to His cause. As we are continually receiving the blessings of God, so we are to be continually giving. "

It is important to note that Jacob is not trying to bargain with God.  In fact the language is actually saying... "Since you have blessed me....."

Jacob is acknowledging God's blessing and making a covenant with God. 

Just a couple weeks ago I was getting ready to speak at a Women's event in SC.  I was in my hotel room just moments from heading out and still struggling with my sermon... 

As I my heart cried out, God lead me to a passage, that started this way... "Do not be afraid for I am with you."  Then a few verses later, "I have chosen you..."  "You are my witness..." He spoke directly to me and to my fears. I was asking for guidance for my sermon and he first spoke directly to me!

I will share the whole story another time.  All I want to say is this... When God speaks words of comfort, affirmation, and promises that he is with us it is unreal!  When He does that, and we are feeling inadequate, sinful, broken, or whatever else you might be struggling with.... It is life changing!!!!! 

I think it is so beautiful that God took this opportunity to speak with Jacob and give him comfort and reassurance as he started a new chapter of his life.  What a wonderful loving God we serve!

This is Easter weekend.  As we reflect on the Resurrection it is my hope that we hear, that we experience, that we KNOW the LOVE and promises that come from our Lord.  Just as Jacob was given a blessing, (even to to him a broken, sinful man) God is offering you a blessing! He is saying to you...

"I will be with you always!"
"I will keep you wherever you go!"
"I will bring you back."

That and so much more!

Is God calling you on a journey?
Do you hear His voice, His blessing over you?

He gave up everything for you, are you willing, because of what he has done, to serve with with complete abandon?

KNOW LOVE.
LIVE LOVE.
SHARE LOVE.