Genesis 28:10-19

Genesis 28:10-19

You Can Run – But You Can’t Hide

July 20, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we continue to look at these stories I believe we will discover that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

6 weeks ago we looked at the story of Noah in Genesis 6-8 – and saw how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

5 weeks ago we began the story of Abraham as we looked at Genesis 12:1-9 – and saw how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

4 weeks ago we continued to story of Abraham by looking at 2 passages in Abraham’s life and journey with God – Genesis 18:1-5 – where we saw how God gave Abraham an unbelieveable promise and vision for his future – and Genesis 21:1-7 – where we saw that God kept that wonderful promise He made.

3 weeks ago we concluded our look at Abraham by seeing how Abraham’s faith in God was tested – and how Abraham passed the test – as we looked at how God called on him to give up that promise and vision for the future God had given him when God called him to sacrifice Isaac. As we looked at this passage we saw how we have to have faith in God – and have to be willing to give up everything for following God’s will.

Last week we began looking at one of Abraham’s grandsons – the son of Isaac – the man Jacob – and as we looked at his birth in Genesis 25:19-34 – we saw that God chooses us – not because of what we deserve – but because of who God is – and that we are saved by God’s grace – and can share God’s saving, gracious love with the world.

We are continuing our look at Jacob today as we see how God was with him – even when he felt alone and desperate. As we look at the story of “Jacob’s Ladder” in Genesis 28:10-19 we are going to see that God is always with us – regardless of how desperate and alone we may feel – and loves us and stands ready to forgive and use us at all times of our lives.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 28:10-19:

Read Scripture

Have you ever had one of those times when it seemed that everything is going against you –

that no one cares for you – and you feel desperate and alone –

but – suddenly - in the midst of that desperation and loneliness – something happens –

somehow you experience God in a new way - in such a way that it becomes clear to you that God is with you –

and suddenly – you no longer feel so alone - but feel a part of a community – a community that includes none other than God – God’s self?

Ever had an experience like that?

Possibly so.

Many of us can tell stories of times God has come to us – shown us His presence – His love – His care – just when it may have seemed to us that no one cared.

I have had several experiences of times like that.

I remember one time in my ministry when it just seemed that nothing was working right – and I felt very alone.

At that time both churches I served were in a 5 church youth group – and I went with a group of young people to a camp in Tennessee. The first night there I felt frustrated and very alone. As the opening worship service ended, a contemporary version of “Amazing Grace” was playing and the leader for the week was asking the campers to pray for their time at the camp.

Well, I started crying – feeling very alone. But – as I started crying – I felt a hand on my shoulder. One of the young people I had brought up there had their hand on me. The next thing I knew, all the young people I had met had their hands on me and were crying.

I had begun that night feeling alone – angry – and frustrated.

By the end of the service that night I knew that I was not alone – I had young people and adults praying for me – and – beyond that – God was with me.

I will never forget that night – and that feeling.

I learned that – no matter how desperate and alone I felt – God was with me.

Maybe you have gone through similar experiences – and have discovered God with you in the midst of them.

You know — if Jacob could be here today – what a story he could tell!

A story of loneliness.

A story desperation.

A story of feeling that no one cared –

but – in the midst of the loneliness and desperation – his was a story of God -

a story of God revealing God’s self to him –

a story of God’s love – care and promise –

just when he needed it the most.

Look at Jacob in our lesson for today.

He is a fugitive.

A loner.

He has just completed cheating Esau out of his birthright by tricking his father Isaac into blessing him – and now Esau is wanting to kill him.

He is running for his life.

Certainly he feels alone and scared.

He must feel desperate.

Indeed – he may feel that there is no one to care for him – and that especially God doesn’t care for him.

How could God care for a person such as he has turned out to be?

Yes – he had received the blessing from Isaac – but – was it true?

Will God really bless him – after all that he has done?

Indeed – as he travels toward Haran – we can imagine he feels alone – - uncared for – - guilty — desperate.

But – he can’t run 24 hours a day — can he?

No — he must stop and rest at night.

He stops at a place and rests his head upon one of the rocks.

But – his sleep is interrupted.

In his loneliness – his desperation – his running away from Esau and all he knows –

there isGod.

God come to him.

He dreams of a ladder connecting heaven and earth.

He is not alone.

His world is not simply a place of loneliness and despair – it is also a place of God – a place of God’s presence – a place of God’s promises.

God makes Himself known to Jacob.

God renews the promises he has made to Abraham.

Jacob may have been able to run from Esau – but he was not able to hide from God’s love – God’s care – God’s promises – God’s presence.

He awakens from his dream – and realizes that God was there all along – he just had not realized it.

In his despair – in his loneliness – in his feelings that no one cared – Jacob discovered God’s presence and God’s care.

He was not alone at all.

He was not uncared for at all.

God was with him all along – and he had not realized it.

He moves on in his life with a new perspective – the perspective that God was with him – caring for him – loving him – renewing promises with him – at all times of his life.

Yes – he could run –

but he couldn’t hide from God.

He learned a truth that night –

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

That’s Jacob’s story.

How about you?

How have you experienced God’s love – God’s grace – God’s presence in the midst of loneliness and despair?

How have you experienced God’s presence – especially at the very time you did not realize it?

Maybe in the midst of grief over a friend or loved one who has died.

Maybe in the midst of despair and guilt over something you have done – or something you may feel you should have done but haven’t.

Maybe in the midst of a debilitating illness – whether yours or someone you love.

Or – maybe one of those times when it seems everyone is against you.

But – in the midst of that grief – or that despair – or that guilt –

or that illness – or that loneliness – God in some way makes Himself known to you – letting you know that you are loved and cared for – letting you know that there is no place or no condition that is separated from His love – letting you know that you can run – but you can’t hide – from His love.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

It doesn’t matter how deep you pain is.

It doesn’t matter how desperate or how alone you feel.

You are not removed from God’s love and care.

There seemed to be no way God would care for Jacob – the lonely, guilty fugitive. God doesn’t love folk like Him - does He?

Yes1

God still loved him – still called him – still cared for him – still made promises to him.

God was still with him.

Wherever he went – whatever he did – whatever happened – there was God.

Indeed – he could run – but he couldn’t hide from God’s love – and neither can you – and neither can I.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can’t hide from God’s love – God’s care – God’s presence.

God is always there loving you – caring for you.

It is important to remember jut how guilty Jacob was. He had done wrong. He had cheated his brother and lied to his dying father. And yet – God was still with him.

We may be able to understand God’s love and care when things happen to us that we are not responsible for – death – illness even those times people go against us for reasons that are not our fault. At the times we have done nothing to deserve the desperate feelings and loneliness it may be easy for us to understand and experience God.

But what about those times when we deserve to feel desperate – guilty – and alone?

What about those times when our actions have brought us to this lonely – desperate place?

Does God still care then?

Does God still love us?

Yes.

Regardless of how far away we may have wandered from being God’s people – God cares.

Regardless of what we may have done – how guilty we may feel – how much we may want to run and hide from God – regardless of how far down that road to hell we may have gone

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

God is there.

God still loves you.

God still cares for you.

God still saves you.

A friend once gave me a wise saying they got a great deal of peace and reassurance from. They suggested to me that I look at it every time I feel alone and unloved — regardless of why.

The saying is anonymous — but wise and true. I have lost the slip of paper I was given with the saying on it – but I remember the saying.

The saying states:

“These feelings — strong as they may be,

are not telling me the truth about myself.

The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now,

is that I am a chosen child of God —

precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from

all eternity, and held safe in an everlasting embrace.”

Regardless of how Jacob felt — the truth was that he was still loved by God.

Regardless of how you may feel at times — that truth is that you are still loved by God.

When you feel alone — desperate — that no one cares – you may not know why you feel that way — but God knows — and – God wants you to know that He is with you!

If it is because of the death of a friend or loved one — God is with you!

If it is because of guilt over things you have done or things you feel you should have done but didn’t — God is with you!

Is it because of illness — whether yours or someone you love – God is with you!

If it is that everyone is against you for whatever reason – God is with you!

God is with you – loving you – calling you – ready to make promises and keep promises to you.

If the feelings of despair and loneliness are brought on by things you had nothing to do with – God is with you.

If – like Jacob – they are brought on by your actions – God is with you.

Jacob’s life was changed by his experience of God. He still made mistakes – but began trying to live in God’s ways. He experienced God’s loving presence in the midst of his despair – it made a difference in his life – and he quit trying to run from God but began living in God’s loving ways. He saw that he could run – but he could not hide from God’s love.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

Whenever you feel lonely and desperate – whatever your reasons are – know that God is with you – you can claim God’s promises – you can live in God’s love – you are not alone!

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

Amen.