Blessed Assurance

Genesis 30:25 - 33:20

I am one of those fortunate sons that had a father with a life-changing faith in God.  I watched my dad trust in God’s Word and live under God’s blessing all his life.  There were times as a boy that I would go to my dad for assurance that God was with me too.  Dad was quick to say in response to whatever my questions, “Jon, what does God’s Word say about that?”  Then he’d direct me to reading through scripture to address the doubt I faced.  In those moments, I found re-assurance in the fact that it was God who spoke the promises for those who trust in His Word.  Over time and through my journey of faith in Christ Jesus, I have grappled with difficult seasons of life and my own pitfalls in character that have led to various crisis of faith moments.  By His grace, I have watched God deliver me through each moment.  I am eternally grateful for the blessed assurance I have in Jesus Christ to be with me and keep me by His side forevermore.

In our scripture text for this week, we read about Jacob facing intense moments on a long journey to a promised land in Canaan.  We get to see God’s personal presence and blessing on Jacob’s life through it all.  At the conclusion of this reading, we see Jacob with his new name proclaiming that the God of his father, Isaac, is his God too.   It’s a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life as we’ve seen him wrestle like so many of us today with his past and the pitfalls in his own character.  BUT GOD never stops caring for Jacob and is faithful to His promise to always be with him.  Praise be to God!

I’m reminded of the words to a hymn that says, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.  Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.”  Oh, that we would find assurance in God’s word and the glory revealed and fulfilled in Jesus as the Christ.  That in the grappling moments of life, we would know our God is gracious and near.  May we remember that in Christ Jesus, God promises to be with us wherever we go, that nothing can ever separate us from His love, that He will lead, guide and protect His people onward to our ultimate destination as part of His Eternal Kingdom.  EVERYONE is invited to know Jesus and claim Him as their own and to bless the world like He has blessed us.  May it be so for you and me today.

Grateful & Hopeful in Christ,

Jon