Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall 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 spoken to you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And 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!” Genesis 28:10-17 New King James Version
Lord God,
Long day travelling to place he has never been. Family he has never met. Carrying the weight of regrets for the past and concern about the future. Tired in mind, body and soul. At his moment of weakness – an encounter with You. The real answer to His problems.
Many of us can relate that. At a moment of weakness, You gave us an encounter or experience that led us to know You. There are as many occasions as there are Christians. Each experience is individual, personal and precious. Jacob, needed to see that You, the God of his Father was not imagined and not a tame God, but the mighty God of creation and of his future. And he was afraid.
Not a bad place to start – in awesome fear. Fear is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One, understanding.(Proverbs 9:10). Jacob discovered he was not the centre of the universe, was not the one carrying everything, he had You, God. A God to worship, rely on give him a purpose and a future.
Thank God we do not have to rely on ourselves. We have a purpose and a future in You through Your Son. Give us encounters with You. Moments when we are reading Your Word, praying, in dreams or in our day. And remind us that even a schemer, is loved by You, and needs to hear the gospel.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 17th January 2026
I found this hymn which for me just rounded up my thoughts and prayers.
As Jacob with travel was weary one day,
At night on a stone for a pillow he lay;
He saw in a vision a ladder so high
That its foot was on earth and its top in the sky:
Alleluia to Jesus, who died on the tree,
And has raised up a ladder of mercy for me,
And has raised up a ladder of mercy for me.
This ladder is long, it is strong and well made,
Has stood hundreds of years and is not yet decayed;
Many millions have climbed it and reached Sion’s hill,
And thousands by faith are climbing it still:
Come, let us ascend! All may climb it who will;
For the angels of Jacob are guarding it still:
And remember, each step that by faith we pass o’er,
Some prophet or martyr hath trod it before:
And when we arrive at the haven of rest,
We shall hear the glad words, “Come up hither, ye blest,
Here are regions of light, here are mansions of bliss.”
Oh, who would not climb such a ladder as this?
Lyrics: Anon