Wayne Weekly “Jacob’s Ladder…Getting In the Way”

Many of us know the scriptural account of Jacob’s ladder.

As you may recall Jacob was fleeing for his life from Esau his twin brother who vowed to kill him for stealing his birthright. While looking for refuge at a relative’s house in Haran, Jacob stopped for the night to rest at a place called Luz. Jacob had a dream. He saw a ladder (or stairway) stretching between Heaven and earth. On the ladder he saw God’s angels ascending and descending. At the top of the ladder was God who repeated His promise of support He had made to Jacob’s grandfather Abraham and father Isaac.  That promise was that his offspring would be many and would bless all the families of the earth.

Jacob woke up and believed that God was present in that place. He took the rock he had used as a pillow, pored oil on it and consecrated the place to God. He called the place Bethel which means “house of God”. This is a great story with fantastic overtones.

“If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (Genesis 28:20-22, ESV)

During the New York State Fair this year my wife and I decided to eat at the International Pavilion. The pavilion offers a variety of ethnic foods from different restaurants, so the menu is extensive. While my wife was still busy enjoying her lunch, I wandered off to check a few things out that Evie would most likely find very boring. When I returned my wife pointed out two people a few tables over sharing a lunch. Evie told me that the couple, in their seventies I would guess, walked in the building and took a quick turn. The woman caught her foot on a portable ladder that had been wheeled up against a wall and stumbled. While regrouping her other foot caught the same obstruction and down she went…meal and all!

She was helped up by fairgoers, but sat down visibly shaken, and now no lunch. She and her husband then began to share his plate. Evie went over earlier and asked if the lady was OK and carefully offered to buy her a lunch to replace the lost one. She said thank you but they were fine. She asked Evie why she was so caring toward them and my wife told them that she was a Christian and that the Lord wanted her to offer assistance. We can’t say this couple were not believers, but it did seem to us that they never had come to that place of surrender to Christ in their lives.

Later, Evie ran into the couple once more on the way out of the building. The couple stopped and Evie and I went over. Again Evie was able to share some about the Lord, which was received well by our new acquaintances. I was able to tell them about Mars Hill. They lived in the 102.9 coverage area so we wrote down the frequency on my business card. In parting, the woman gave Evie a great big hug.

No, not Jacob’s ladder, but you know, in a sense God was standing at the top rung of that ill placed ladder, repeating His gracious promise of support in yet another divine appointment.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.    Luke 19:10