Peace With God – February 28, 2021

Jacob had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the LORD, and he said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac . . . 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.”
Genesis 28:12,13,15

Peace With God

Jacob was a mess. He had to leave home much earlier than planned, and some of that was his fault. His brother Esau was so angry at him that he was comforting himself with the thought of murdering Jacob. As if that weren’t terrifying enough, there was more fuel for fear as Jacob fled from his homeland and found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. His pillow was a rock; the ground was his bed. He faced many dangers, and his only companion was his guilty conscience. There was no peace in his heart.

That’s when the LORD revealed himself to Jacob in a dream, to bring Jacob the peace he desperately needed. In the dream, there was a stairway with angels going up and down. The LORD himself was at the top. He assured Jacob, “I am with you. I will watch over you, wherever you go. I will bring you back. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised.” God gave Jacob the one thing that he could find nowhere else—peace. There were many questions, but there was no question about whether Jacob was at peace with God.

Why are you afraid today? There are many possibilities, for there is plenty of fuel for fear in our world. And just like Jacob, peace is impossible for us to find—until we discover God’s gracious promises in Jesus. All sin is paid. We are forgiven through Christ. There may be questions, but in Christ, there is no question about where we stand with God.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your peace that surpasses all understanding. When I am filled with fears, and when those fears raise questions, remind me that in Jesus there is no question about my status as your eternal, forgiven child. Amen.