Hey God, Can We Talk? I’m at a Fork in the RoadНамуна

Day Four: Jacob at Beersheba

In the final conversation between God and Jacob/Israel, he was in his twilight years. It was at this time he learned that his son, Joseph, whom he thought was dead, was not only alive but was second in command in Egypt. In this con­versation, Jacob was leav­ing his homeland, where there was a raging famine and was moving to Egypt where there was food, lodging, protec­tion, and provision—all because of Joseph’s leadership. It is noteworthy to consider that this conversation with God also happened at night, as did both his first conversation with God at Bethel and the all-night wrestling match at Peniel. 

I bring up the reality of Jacob’s night conversations with God because it can be helpful to realize that we can have some very powerful and transforming conversations with God when life is dark. 

If you have ever awakened in the night and there is no clock nearby, the night can seem to move along slowly, with endless seconds. In the darkness, we can get discouraged by life’s circumstances, uncertainty, unresolved struggles, provision gaps, and lots more. Here at Beersheba, Jacob/Israel has his third nighttime conversation with God. Once again, he has left a place where he had been comfortable for multiple decades to go some­where he had never been. It seems to me that these night­time conversations for Jacob served as dividing lines between a previous season and the beginning of a new season. Let’s appreciate that in the dark seasons of life we can have some amazing conversations with God. These conversations can foster a new sunrise and a change in a particular season of life in which we find ourselves. A nighttime conversation with God can be massively transformational! 

In addition to this conversation at night, let’s consider that this fork in the road for Jacob came at a time in his life when he would have likely preferred not to experience major changes. At this fork in the road, Jacob was elderly, settled comfortably in the land God had promised him, surrounded by his family, and probably content with life—besides the pesky famine that was forcing him to make hard decisions. Indeed, he had to choose between moving to Egypt and helping his family survive with Joseph’s assistance or staying in God’s promised land and his family starving to death from the famine. Despite Jacob’s age and probable desires to stay in what he knew to be comfortable and familiar, he chose to move his family to Egypt. God affirmed Jacob’s decision in their nighttime conversation at Beersheba.

As we finish looking at Jacob’s conversations with God during the various forks in the road, I also want to point out that he was already in action when he had each of these conversations with God. Jacob wasn’t stationary or waiting for God’s input or direction at Bethel, Peniel, Mah­anaim, or Beersheba. All of these conversations with God happened when Jacob was in motion and going some­where. I often hear people say that they are waiting for God’s input or direction before they make a decision. But with Jacob, we see that he was already on the move when he had his conversations with God. It is easier to steer something that is moving rather than steer something that is stationary.

Reflection:

· Does darkness make you afraid or uncertain? How can you be certain to have conversations with God during dark or uncertain times in your life?

· In what ways do you need to keep moving or get moving so that God can direct your momentum?

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