Promises

God Meets Jacob (and us) in the Desert

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And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. Genesis 28:11 ESV

Until this time Jacob’s life had been easy and predictable. His father was a wealthy and godly man, and his mother favored him over his brother and made sure that anything he needed was provided. But, because of his own deceitfulness and trickery, Jacob was now running away, and uncertain when he would ever see his parents again. At the end of day one in his journey, as Jacob watched the sun set in the desert, he realized that for the first time in his young life he was completely alone. Yet in spite of everything he had done, God loved Jacob and had scheduled a meeting with him that night, that would change the course of his life.

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Ironically, it was Esau, not Jacob, who knew about camping and hunting, and Jacob in his hurry, had not thought to bring along a tent, a sleeping bag or even a pillow. Today’s verse tells us that when he lay down to sleep, Jacob had to use a stone for a pillow. I will bet that as he lay tossing and turning with his head resting on that rock, that Jacob was missing the comforts of home! Some of us can look back and identify with that moment. or maybe you are in the middle of a desert right now! The good news is that in this, desert moment, with our heads resting on a stone pillow, God has not forgotten us. In fact, He has chosen this dark and lonely time to meet with us, not to solve all our problems, but to begin or deepen our relationship with Him. In Jacob’s life, it would be another twenty years before he would return home, but that night was a start. If you are ready for a new start, a dream, and a ladder, then get ready for an adventure that only God Himself could have planned. Then, stay tuned for the next installment in Jacob’s life, as God replaces his scheming with blessings, that are wrapped up in hard work and some hard knocks!

And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! Genesis 28:12 ESV

Promises to Come

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
In early Spring while frost still holds
The apple tree prepares
in and sun and warming soil
To shed its Winter cares

And soon its sleeping flowers wake
To peek out of their beds
Then dress with blossoms white and pink
They show their little heads

Deep in those fragile petals hide
The promises to come
Of apples ripe at harvesttime
That bow the branches down

And in the deep of winter’s grip
While wild winds still blow 
I trust that He who tends the trees
Will keep me through the snow 

And that in Spring He’ll send for me
Dear Jesus lead me home
For now I wait in hopes of all
Your promises to come

Promises to Come
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2025
All rights reserved



Don’t Just Settle! – Part 1

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. Genesis 11:31 ESV

I used to think that God called Abram to go to the land of Canaan, as if it were just a lightning bolt out of the blue. It seemed that when God said, “Go to a place I will show you.”, it was if it were a place totally unknown and unfamiliar to Abram. But in today’s reading, we discover that actually Abram’s father, Terah, had set out from Ur to go to Canaan years before: but he never finished the journey. Terah did leave behind his home country. He left behind the land of idolatry, his familiar surroundings and friends, but when he got to the town of Haran, Terah decided to settle. Of course, God doesn’t give us all the particulars, of Terah’s motives, but whatever they were, they caused him to give up on his goal.

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Now Terah started in the right direction but never made it all the way, because he settled. But the good news for us today, is that even though Terah settled for less, God didn’t He hadn’t changed His mind, and unlike any of us, God has all the time in the universe to bring His plans to pass. So, God waited. He waited a generation as Terah grew old and died in the safe little village of Haran. They must have lived there for many years during that waiting time, because by the time chapter twelve starts, Abram is already seventy-five years old. But God’s call never grows old, He never gives up and God never settles for less. Instead, God came and called again, but this time HIs call was to Abram:

“And the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you – And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot, his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of CANAAN...” 
Genesis 12 1; 5a ESV