Jacob: Discerning the Presence of God

These stories will look at a man who was at odds with his family for most of his life. Jacob was born into God’s promise that had been given to his grandfather, Abraham, and his father, Isaac. Unlike many people of the Bible, much of Jacob’s journey was the opposite of what God desires for His children. God is always present in Jacob’s life, but Jacob doesn’t see it that way. In Jacob’s poor decision-making, rebellion, deceitfulness, and painful struggles, we see ourselves—either who we are, who we were, or who we could become. In the process, we learn that God does not give up on people, and that His purposes are not dependent on us discerning His presence or acting upon His will. However, when we do respond in obedience, we experience the richness of His presence on the journey. When we are what God meant for us to be—people who live as those who truly know Him through Christ—we become something much greater than we could have ever been on our own.