\u201cJacob left Beersheba and set out for Haram. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep\u201d (Genesis 28:10-11).<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s to those who have reached a \u201ccertain place.\u201d There\u2019s nothing special about this place. It just happens to be where you found yourself when your body said, \u201cEnough.\u201d The sun has set, and your steps have stalled. No more striding or striving. You\u2019ve reached a \u201ccertain place.\u201d For Jacob, and perhaps you, the irony of the certain place is that there\u2019s nothing certain about it.<\/p>\n
All that\u2019s behind is all that you\u2019ve ever known, and all that\u2019s ahead \u2014 from what you can see \u2014 is dark. And who knows what\u2019s lurking in the night? Beasts and brothers, hot on your trail, keen on your scent, reminding you why you ran in the first place. But none of that matters anymore because you\u2019re too tired to be afraid. So, you make a stone your pillow, the dust your bed. If you\u2019re about to die, perhaps you can find final comfort in your dreams.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, it takes the stillness of a hard, lonely place to awaken us to God’s vision for our lives.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
But here\u2019s the miracle: In the middle of nowhere, heaven opens. Jacob sees a ladder stretching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God speaks \u2014 not words of condemnation but a promise: \u201cI am with you. I will watch over you wherever you go\u201d (Genesis 28:15).<\/p>\n
Jacob wakes, stunned: \u201cSurely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it\u201d (Genesis 28:16).<\/p>\n
Sometimes, it takes the stillness of a hard, lonely place to awaken us to God’s vision for our lives. In the quiet, with all distractions removed and when we\u2019ve come to the end of ourselves, we realize that God has always been present, waiting to meet us in our need. And it\u2019s His presence in our sufferings, not freedom from them, that brings us healing.<\/p>\n
So, if you\u2019ve reached a certain place, remember, it may feel empty, but heaven is nearer than you think. The stone beneath your head may feel hard, but it can still be holy. Jesus can turn your striving to surrender because He has bridged the gap between heaven and every weary heart. Then, when the sun rises, you\u2019ll rise with it, knowing what Jacob knew: \u201cSurely the Lord is in this place.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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