Genesis 28:1-5: a reflection

1Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 4and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.” 5Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

As Jacob is sent away from home to a far country to find a wife, his father Isaac sends him out not empty but with a blessing, invoking upon him the promise God had given to Abraham. May God Almighty bless you, Isaac says, and make you fruitful, and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring, that you may inherit the land. Jacob goes out into an unknown journey, leaving the security of home, facing an uncertain future in a distant land; but he goes under his father's blessing and God's promise. He does not go out alone and unblessed into the unknown, but sent with a blessing, carrying God's promise with him. This is a picture of going into the unknown under God's blessing and promise. Jacob went into the unknown under a blessing. He was sent into an uncertain journey carrying God's promise. Going into the unknown, he went under God's blessing. He did not go alone, but with the blessing and promise of God.

Notice how Jacob is sent out: with a blessing, carrying God's promise. He was leaving home for a far country, an unknown journey with an uncertain outcome; it could have been a fearful going, out alone into the unknown. But Isaac sent him with a blessing, invoking upon him the blessing of Abraham, the promise of God to make him fruitful and give him the land. Jacob went into the unknown not empty and alone, but carrying God's promise and under a blessing. This speaks to us as we go into our own unknowns. We often face uncertain journeys, departures from what is familiar and secure, futures we cannot see. And we can face them fearfully, feeling we go out alone into the unknown. But those who belong to God do not go out alone or unblessed; we go carrying God's promises, under his blessing, with him going with us into the unknown. We need not face our uncertain journeys as though we went alone; we go under God's blessing and with his promise. Into the unknown we go not alone but under God's blessing. God's promise goes with us into uncertain journeys. We face our unknowns carrying God's blessing, not alone. Go into the unknown under God's blessing and promise.

That is worth resting in, for those who belong to God go into their unknowns not alone and unblessed but under his blessing and carrying his promise, as Jacob was sent into a far country with the blessing of Abraham. We can face our uncertain journeys, our departures into the unknown, fearfully, as though we went out alone; but Jacob was sent out under his father's blessing and God's promise, not empty and alone. We go under God's blessing. When you face an uncertain journey into the unknown, remember that you go not alone but under God's blessing and with his promise. Rest in the truth that those who belong to God go into their unknowns not alone and unblessed but under his blessing and carrying his promise, as Jacob, sent away from home to a far country to find a wife, was sent by Isaac not empty but with a blessing, the blessing of Abraham, that God would make him fruitful and give him the land; for we often face uncertain journeys, departures from what is familiar and secure, futures we cannot see, and we can face them fearfully as though we went out alone into the unknown, but those who belong to God do not go out alone or unblessed, going instead carrying his promises and under his blessing, with him going with them into the unknown, so that we need not face our uncertain journeys as though we went alone but can go under God's blessing and with his promise, as Jacob did.

Lord, as Jacob is sent away from home to a far country to find a wife, his father Isaac sends him out not empty but with a blessing, invoking upon him the promise you had given to Abraham. May God Almighty bless you, Isaac says, and make you fruitful, and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring, that you may inherit the land. Jacob goes out into an unknown journey, leaving the security of home, facing an uncertain future in a distant land; but he goes under his father's blessing and your promise. He does not go out alone and unblessed into the unknown, but sent with a blessing, carrying your promise with him. This is a picture of going into the unknown under your blessing and promise. Show me how Jacob is sent out: with a blessing, carrying your promise. He was leaving home for a far country, an unknown journey with an uncertain outcome; it could have been a fearful going, out alone into the unknown. But Isaac sent him with a blessing, invoking upon him the blessing of Abraham. Jacob went into the unknown not empty and alone, but carrying your promise and under a blessing. This speaks to me as I go into my own unknowns. I often face uncertain journeys, departures from what is familiar and secure, futures I cannot see. And I can face them fearfully, feeling I go out alone. But those who belong to you do not go out alone or unblessed; I go carrying your promises, under your blessing, with you going with me into the unknown. Let me rest in that, for I go into my unknowns not alone and unblessed but under your blessing and carrying your promise. When I face an uncertain journey into the unknown, help me remember that I go not alone but under your blessing, Lord, and with your promise, as Jacob was sent into a far country under his father's blessing, so that I need not face my uncertain journeys as though I went alone.