JESSE TREE (December 6)

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Day 6:  Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 27:41; 28:22)

Jacob, the boy born stubborn, who grabbed his twin by the heal and entered the world…  This kid gave meaning to the words “you’re pullin’ my leg.”  Even his name meant TRICKSTER, and trick he did.  But, after one too many jokes played on his big bro this guy had to run for his life.  He ran all the way to his uncle Laban’s house, but he didn’t leave empty handed.  He still had his brother’s birthright, his brother’s blessing on his life, and even one more blessing from his father to boot as he dashed away in search of safety at his uncle’s house.  

This was his father’s blessing: 

“May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. ⁴ May he give you and your family the blessing given to Abraham, so that the promised land may be yours one day.”

It was in the midst of this flight that God reached down from heaven...to him.  This trickster. 

When he could run no longer he took a stone for a pillow.  To say he was tired was an understatement.  He drifted off into a deep sleep, and here, in this middle of nowhere, in a swirl of dream-filled sleep, God opened the heavens and reached down to Jacob with a flight of stairs.  Angels were going up them.  Angels were going down them.  And YAHWEH himself was standing at the top!

God spoke to him from heaven:  “I am YAHWEH, the God of Abraham and the God of your father, Isaac.  I will give you and your family the land that you’re sleeping on tonight.  You will have countless children and your family will spread out to the east, to the north and to the south.  All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and your family.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 

But Jacob wasn’t quite convinced yet that he wanted to follow YAHWEH.  He says  “IF God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking AND will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, THEN Yahweh will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and I will worship you.”

Yes, the trickster escaped his brother, but the joke was on him…because Laban was even more of a trickster than Jacob was and Jacob was in for a big surprise!  He worked for seven years to marry Rachel, Laban’s daughter, but when he woke up after the wedding night he realized that Laban had pulled one over on him.  It was Laban’s other daughter, Leah, that Jacob had married, not Rachel!  His deep love for Rachel kept him working for another seven years so he could marry her.  But Jacob wasn’t about to just let Laban get away with it.  He was a clever guy, and made a deal that let him walk away with the majority of Laban’s flock. 

But the story doesn't end there...

Jacob’s heading home after many years... but he knows his brother is there – the brother that was so mad at him he wanted to kill him!  In fact, Jacob heard that his brother was headed straight for him!  Yikes!   Jacob had a decision to make.  How could he make things right? 

His only hope was to return to Esau what he stole.  He hoped that Esau would forgive him.

Esau saw Jacob’s offering, and chose, hard as it was, to forgive his brother.  And God’s promises for Jacob continued to be fulfilled:  He had lots of children - twelve sons.  Those twelve sons would one day become the twelve tribes of Israel, and continue to grow like the dust of the earth spreading throughout the land. 

Our God keeps his promises. 

Just as God reached down with his voice to speak a promise to Jacob, God reaches down to us to bring the promised blessing to all the earth – the promise made to Jacob.  And through one son of Jacob, a son of Isaac, a son of Abraham...a son of Eve...God reaches down from heaven and lays himself in a manger.  This time not in a dream, but in the flesh of a human God-child.  

Jesus.  Not God in the clouds, but God right down here with us.  He becomes a ladder so that we might meet God face to face.  

This is a busy season.  Banquets, reunions, concerts, plays, caroling and parties, but what better thing can there be to celebrate than this greatest gift.  What is a paper package topped with a bow, when we can give God’s mercy wrapped in human flesh?

God is the one who, like Esau, forgives us even when we don't deserve it.  He chooses to forgive and create peace with us.  Who is God calling you to make peace with this season?  Who will you forgive as Christ came to forgave you?

God is with us in this season, as we come and go.  Whether running around with a list of to do's, or running for our lives.  He is in each unexpected place.  There is no where we can’t meet him!     But who knows it?  Who will you invite to meet him?

Pray together:
 
YAHWEH, our God, who comes down to meet us.  Our God who gives up life, so we may live.  Our God who forgives. We know what its like to be forgiven when what we deserve is death.  How can we hold sins against our brothers?   Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. May we be a light, shining your glory in the darkness of the world, and live each moment with the knowledge of your presence.

Sing together:

Angels We Have Heard on High (youtube)
Let the Heavens Open (youtube)



Bring the good news with you:  Each time today that you walk up a flight of steps, or down them, remember:  Everywhere you go is the house of God and surely the Lord is in this place, too.  How does this knowledge change your day and make everything a wonder and a miracle and holy?