Luke 3:34. the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham
Do you hate waiting? Are you one of those who can’t wait to open their presents on Christmas? Do you sneak around the house trying to find your gifts before Christmas day? Did you peal at presents when you were a kid?
If there was anyone in the Bible who didn’t like waiting it was Jacob. Just like his grandfather, Abraham, Jacob had received a promise from God. Even though he was the second born son, he would be the blessed son. He would carry the destiny of Israel, not his big brother Esau. God had a plan for Jacob. All he had to do was wait.
But like his father and grandfather before him, in his impatience, Jacob would take matters into his own hands. Over the course of a few short days, Jacob, at the behest of his plotting mother, would steal his brother’s inheritance, swindle away his blessing, lie to his father, and run away from God’s promise and the land that embodied it.
Jacob just couldn’t wait on God.
So God would wait on Jacob, following him wherever he went.
Run to Bethel? God is there, on the stairway to Heaven, making even more promises to Jacob. I am with you. I won’t leave you. I will bring you back home.
Run to Paddan Aram? God is there, building Jacob into a great nation, a large family with a large fortune, all in spite of the endless scheming between him and his uncle.
Run back towards Canaan? God encamps with Jacob. Wrestles Jacob. Blesses Jacob. And cripples Jacob.
Run to Shechem? In spite of this faithless detour, God remained faithful. In spite of the tragedies of Shechem, God continues to train Jacob in his old age.
Are you a runner like Jacob? Maybe it’s been hard for you to settle down spiritually. To rest secure in God’s promise to never leave you or forsake you. So while you wait for Christ’s return you run, and run, and run. Go, go, go. Always demanding more from God, never satisfied. His timing is way too slow. His plan is way too concealed. His future is way too far away.
Christian, if this describes you a little bit (or a lot), I have good news for you. Jesus has run to you. Jesus is the God of Jacob who chased him down and wrestled him to the ground, blessing him with his permanent presence and a permanent limp. And Jesus will do the same for you. He will fight for your heart. He will wound you to save you so that you learn to trust his rest.
This Christmas may you find that rest. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the season may you lay your head on the rock of Bethel and hear God say, I am with you. I’ll never leave you. And I will bring you home.
Questions.
Have you been trying to run from God? In what way? How might you use the Christmas season to rest instead of run?
To Live is Christ 