I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     At Rebekah’s instigation Isaac called Jacob to him and told Jacob not to marry any of the Canaanite women. Instead Isaac sent Jacob to Rebekah’s father’s house with instructions to marry one of Laban’s (Rebekah’s brother) daughters. When Esau realized how upset his parents were with his choice of wives, he went to his uncle Ishmael and married one of his daughters. It is interesting to note that when Isaac decided to send Jacob away to find a wife, he sent him to Laban and not to Ishmael. It may be that he recognized Esau’s anger at Jacob and wanted Jacob to be well out of Esau’s reach when he, Isaac, died. Or it may be that he did it to make Rebekah happy. Or there may be some other explanation. It is however interesting to take note of.
     Jacob begins his journey. One night early in the trip he stops near Luz and lays down for the night. While he was sleeping he had a dream. He dreamed that he saw a stairway ascending to heaven with angels going up and down it. In the dream, Jacob perceived God standing at the top of the stairway. God told Jacob that He was the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. God went on to promise Jacob that He would fulfill His promise to Abraham through Jacob (God did not mention His promise to Abraham to Jacob, but the wording of the promise is very close to the wording of His promise to Abraham) and that He would be with Jacob, wherever Jacob went. When Jacob awoke, the thought that he had slept at a place that was the very gateway to heaven frightened him. Jacob responds that if God will watch over him and take care of his needs, then God will be his God and he will give a tenth of all that he receives back to God. (Note: the word translated as “if” could also be translated as “since”)
     I think there is a lot in this for us (or at least me). I believe that God has promised to be with us and to take care of us. In return for that I will make Him my God and worship Him. Like Jacob, I will give back to Him a tenth of what He gives to me. There is one other piece to this. The thought that he had slept on the threshold of heaven frightened Jacob. I believe that since I accepted Christ as my Savior, I am always on the threshold of heaven. While this is a glorious thought, it should also frighten me more than it does, because I am a sinful man.
     The passage goes on to describe Jacob arriving at Laban’s and going to work for Laban. Jacob negotiated a deal with Laban to work for him for seven years in order to get Laban’s daughter Rachel as his wife. However, when the time came Laban tricked Jacob and gave Jacob his daughter Leah as his wife instead. Jacob worked seven more years for Laban in order to marry Rachel. The passage tells us that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Further it tells us that because of this God caused Leah to conceive four sons while Rachel conceived none.

     A synagogue leader came to Jesus and told Him that his daughter had just died. The synagogue leader said that if Jesus would just come and lay His hand upon her, she would live. Jesus went with the man, accompanied by His disciples. As He walked, a woman who had been ill for twelve years said to herself, “If I can only touch His cloak, I will be healed.” She approached Jesus and touched the edge of His cloak. When she touched Him, Jesus turned and saw her. He told her that her faith had made her well. At that moment the woman was healed. Jesus continued to the synagogue leader’s house. When He got there, He found the house surrounded by those who were mourning the girl’s death. Jesus told them to go away because the girl was not dead, merely sleeping. The crowd laughed at Him for believing that the girl could be helped. Nevertheless, the mourners were put out of the house and Jesus took the girl’s hand and she got up.
     This passage describes two people who had faith that Jesus could meet their needs and it describes people who laughed at the idea of a miracle. First we have the synagogue leader, who even though his daughter had died, had faith that Jesus could provide aid. His friends told him, “Just bury her and get on with your life. There is nothing else you can do.” He knew they were right, there was nothing he could do for his daughter. But he knew that Jesus could help her, so he turned to Him. When those I care about are suffering from things that I can do nothing about, do I turn to Jesus? Or do I just get on with my life and leave them suffering? If the latter is it because I lack faith to believe that He will help them? Then there is the woman who had been suffering for twelve years. She was determined that if she could just touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak, she would be healed. Do I believe that He will heal me of my hurts? Am I willing to do whatever it takes to just touch the edge of His cloak? Or am I one of those who laughed when He said the girl was just sleeping?
     When Jesus traveled on from here, two blind men followed Him crying out to Him for mercy. When he arrived at His destination they approached Him. He asked them if they believed He could restore their sight. They responded that yes, they believed. Jesus healed them and told them to tell no one. But they were so joyful for what He had done for them that they could not help but tell everyone they met what had happened. Am I compelled to tell everyone what Jesus has done for me as these two formerly blind men were?
     Jesus traveled through the towns and villages of the area preaching. He saw the crowds and was moved to compassion for them. The people were confused and helpless. The writer tells us they were like sheep without a shepherd. I don’t know if you have ever seen sheep, but when they are without someone to provide them with guidance, they tend to mill about and do stupid things. After seeing the people like this Jesus turned to His disciples and said to them that the harvest was plentiful, but there were few workers. He told His disciples to ask the Lord of the Harvest to send workers to the harvest. When I look at society around us, I see what Jesus was talking about there are so many who are starving to hear God’s word. And there are so few preaching it. Oh Lord, send out workers to harvest your fields. Show me Lord, how I can better preach your word to those who are dying.

     I trust in the Lord. I will not flee from the wicked. The psalmist asks what can the righteous do when the foundations are being destroyed? He answers it as well. They can trust in the Lord. God loves justice and righteousness, but will rain down burning coals on the wicked. We can trust in the Lord. Let others destroy their foundation, I will constantly reinforce mine by building my life on God Himself.

     Forgive me Lord for being upset when You discipline me. Help me to learn the lesson You are trying to teach me. I know that your discipline is a product of love.