CHOOSING TO REMEMBER (GENESIS 28:10-22)
REFLECTION
“Choosing to remember” serves as the profound theme for our reflection today. From a divine perspective, “remembering” is never a remedy for forgetfulness; rather, it is a deliberate, active, and covenantal choice to act on behalf of His people, fulfilling promises and dispensing mercy. We must focus on the transformative truth that, unlike fickle human beings, God is a steadfast, covenant-keeping Father whose presence abides eternally with those bound to Him.
Genesis 28:10-22 depicts Jacob fleeing his brother Esau’s murderous wrath to find a wife in Paddan-aram, carrying with him the weight of Isaac’s blessing. On this solitary journey, Jacob encounters the Almighty in a dream at Bethel—a vision of a ladder reaching toward the heavens. Here, he receives a divine guarantee of land, descendants, and protection. In response to this staggering grace, Jacob vows to worship God, renaming the site Bethel—the “House of God.”
Beloved, by our flawed human judgement and rigid moral standards, Jacob arguably deserved to be forgotten, not favoured. He was a man who had deceptively seized his brother’s birthright. Yet, we learn a life-altering lesson: God looks beyond our human frailties and graciously chooses to remember His covenant relationship with us. It is for this very reason that God revealed His glory to Jacob during his lowest point—fleeing in fear toward Harran.
The Scripture records: “He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’” (Genesis 28:12-15)
This is the ultimate assurance! God’s glory never departed from Abraham’s lineage; it rested upon Jacob to ensure the mission of Israel would prevail. When Jacob awoke, he was struck by the weight of this divine presence: “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.’ Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel…” (Genesis 28:16-19) Again, to prove that God chooses to remember His covenant promises, we are told in Genesis 9:14-17 that God establishes the rainbow as the everlasting sign of His covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. He promises that whenever the bow appears in the clouds, He will remember His unconditional pledge never again to destroy all life on earth with a worldwide flood.
How does this resonate with us today? It serves as a powerful reminder that because God is a covenant-keeper, He chooses to remember us the moment we enter into a relationship with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Zacchaeus—the “sinner” and outcast—was remembered, Jesus declares to us: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)
Through Christ, the New Covenant is sealed: “Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:26-28)
Therefore, as beneficiaries of this New Covenant, we are never abandoned. We are never alone on our journey. Even when we stumble, God’s grace “remembers” the blood of the cross. He is with you now, empowering you to live a life that is not just acceptable, but radiant—anchored in His divine blessings and eternal presence.
PRAYER
Gracious and Eternal Father,
We thank You that You are not a God who forgets, but a God who chooses to remember us according to Your steadfast love. We thank You for the New Covenant established through the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, which grants us access to Your presence even when we feel unworthy.
Lord, when we find ourselves in the “Bethels” of our lives—lonely, afraid, or fleeing our past—open our eyes to see the stairway of Your grace. Help us to rest in the assurance that You will never leave us until You have fulfilled every promise You have spoken over our lives. May Your glory go before us and Your peace dwell within us.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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