Adult Sunday School recently has been Jacob’s experience in Genesis. We saw that Jacob was cunning, he knew how to make use of his intellect to get what he wanted (Genesis 27:36). However, intellect has its faults. Once, Jacob conned his brother out of his birthright and had to flee for his life to a faraway land. It was on this escape route that Jacob, tired, helpless, and full od fear, finally started to truly experience God. In the time that Jacob needed comfort and encouragement the most, God appeared to him in a dream. “Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 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 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 will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 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.” When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. Jacob’s experience is a lot of our own portraits. We are all underserving sinners. Perhaps not as extreme as Jacob who was a conman. However, many a times, we rely on ourselves, using sleight of hands to get benefits or a way out of trouble. We might think ourselves capable, until we are overwrought and have no choice but to admit our limitations. People say that crises are opportunities. This is quite true but, the true opportunity lies in God’s grace. It happens when God reveals to us He is our Saviour and when we turn towards Him. God comforted Jacob through his dream, allowing him to experience God’s mighty yet peaceful presence. When this almighty God fills our hearts and minds, HIs infinite majesty and greatness can be intimidating but, because He promises to watch over us instead of punishing, no amount of hardship can overshadow the comfort that this promise brings.
Jacob’s experience inspired Sarah F. Adams (1805-1849) to write the universally appreciated hymn Nearer, my God, to Thee. In fact, this hymn has 3 different melodies, but the one we are familiar with is composed by Lowell Mason (1792-1872).
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee E’en tho it be a cross
That raiseth me
Still all my song shall be
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee
Tho like the wanderer
The sun gone down Darkness be over me
My rest a stone
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee
There let the way appear
Steps unto Heav’n
All that Thou sendest me
In mercy given
Angels to beckon me
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee
Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I raise
So by my woes to be
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee
Or if on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky
Sun moon and stars forgot
Upward I fly
Still all my song shall be
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee
Nearer to Thee
In 1912, as the Titanic was sinking, one passenger called Rev. John Harper made use of this hymn to comfort the Christians aboard. He also brought on the hope from being nearer to God to those who were struggling in the waters, calling on them to come to Jesus. Later on, the survivors recounted how he shouted, “Let the women, children, and the unsaved onto the lifeboats!” He himself had taken off his lifejacket, passing it to another, saying, “You need this more than I do. Do not worry for me! I will not sink down, I will rise up!” Let us be nearer to God often, filling our lives with God’s peace and hope!
