WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: God reveals himself to us all the time through his Word, but also through people, creation, art, music and everything he has made. Look around you, discern the traces of his presence and listen to what he saying to you.

A heap of stones
Laban’s response to Jacob is curious. He doesn’t seek revenge or restitution, but rather wants to establish proper boundaries with his son-in-law. To this end they build a heap of stones.

This may seem strange to our way of thinking, but Laban wants to give shape to the agreement he is about to make. These are more than dead stones: they are surety that Jacob has agreed to look after Laban’s daughters and that neither man will seek to harm the other. In other words, this heap of rubble is a symbol of God’s watchfulness and scrutiny.

God’s continuous care
We are familiar with symbols. Wedding rings, for example, speak of the exclusivity of marital love; and professional uniforms are used to symbolise the authority or learning of the wearers. So this human-made pile of rock speaks of God’s continuous care and involvement in the lives of Jacob and Laban.

Respond: How do I feel when I think of God’s personal interest in my life and relationships? Does he seem distant, disinterested, not bothered? Am I happier with my secrets, anxious to keep him out at all costs? Give yourself to him now, and speak or write down all the areas where you want him to enter.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-07-23