Even as we begin a new month, let's take a moment to look back and reflect on God's abundant grace and our own failures at times to live up to His expectations throughout the last one month. Some of us may begin even this new month with many questions, doubts and concerns. Our thought for reflection this Monday morning is, “Our God Reaches Out to Us at Our Points of Need”.
“Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which saw a stairway testing on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it”
(Genesis 28:10-12)
If we look closely at the context of the above passage, we will know that Jacob was not in the right frame of mind when he had that dream. He must have gone to sleep with many questions for which he had no answers. He was literally running away from home especially from his brother Esau who held a grudge against him because his father had given him the blessing that belonged to Esau (Genesis 27:41).
1. Jacob was filled with fear and sense of insecurity.
Jacob could have felt that his bother Esau might come after him, seeking revenge for robbing his blessings. He could have really felt unworthy to turn to God due to his deceptive and dubious character. But God, understanding Jacob's fear filled state of mind, reached out to him. The stairway or bridge or link between heaven and earth revealed that God was still committed to fulfill His purposes in Jacob’s life. God indirectly assured Jacob that He had not given up on him. Are we in a state of fear and insecurity due to what we have gone through last month?
2. Jacob was filled with concerns regarding his future.
For the first time Jacob left his home and family, with the aim of finding his wife and building his own family in Padan Aram (Genesis 28:5). When Jacob tried to deceive his father and rob his bother of his blessings, he was literally trying to take control of his destiny and make a name for himself. But when he left for Padan Aram, he would not have been sure if he would be successful again. The angels descending from heaven in the dream was a hint of God's assurance of His divine assistance to him. Are we worried about how the new month is going to be for us?
The Lord who reached out to Jacob, would also meet us at the point of our needthroughout this new month. Let's pray.
“Dear Lord, there have been times, when I tried to take control of the affairs of my life, my family, my job, my business and ministry. But, honestly speaking, I have constantly failed! When I look forward to the new month, I am worried about how it is going to be. Just as you assisted Jacob, help me too. Trusting in you, I begin this new month with the confidence that you would reach out to me at the points of need throughout this new month! In Jesus' name,... Amen!”