His name in English means “Heel Grabber.” He lived down to his name. He had taken advantage of his brother to gain the wealth that was rightly his brother‘s. He deceived his father in order to steal the blessing intended for his brother. We know him as Jacob. When we encounter Jacob in Genesis 28, he is a fugitive, alone and impoverished. As the sun is setting he settles down for a night’s rest. He placed a stone at his head for protection or maybe a pillow.
As he slumbered, defenseless and vulnerable, God ambushed him with the gospel. A stairway appears with angels going up and down. God stands above him. However, God does not speak one word of rebuke. Rather God pronounces the heel lying before him that he will be a blessing to all the world. God is with him. God will watch over him. God will bring him home again.
In Jesus Christ, we have those same promises. He is always with us. At the end of worship each week we receive the blessing that He will keep us. Yes, we too will have our own homecoming when He who is with us will take us to be with him, forevermore.
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
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