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“Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.² This is the account of Jacob’s family line.Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.”NIV

‘’Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers…” (2).

This young man was destined, in the purposes of God, to become second-in-command in Egypt, a foreign nation. He had a great future ahead, but who would have thought it when he was tending sheep? There is an important Biblical principle, however, that faithfulness in little leads to faithfulness in much.

I was captured by this second verse, and it caused me to think about the words of a Steve Green – all song about another shepherd boy. This one, David, was to become Israel’s greatest king. I wonder if you can see why it came to mind as I read about Joseph? Here are the lyrics:

In a hidden valley just over the hill

A young shepherd boy surrenders his will

As he lifts his voice in praise to his King

Only the lambs will hear and follow as he sings

In a hidden valley a faithful one leads

No one looking on, he cares for their needs

For he knows the One who tries the heart

So he is steadfast and content to do his part

Hidden valleys produce a life song

Hidden valleys will make a heart strong

Desperation can cause you to sing

Hidden valleys turn shepherds to kings

In a hidden valley a leader is born

He has faced the fierce and weathered the storm

So with humble heart and love for his God

He becomes royalty with just a staff and rod

Hidden valleys produce a life song

Hidden valleys will make a heart strong

Desperation can cause you to sing

Hidden valleys turn shepherds to kings

I have to say that out of all the things I have to do in my role, writing up the ‘minutes’ of meetings is not the most inspiring. Yet I do recognise the importance of good record keeping. Recently I have had reason to see this even more, as I have needed to return to the earliest recorded minutes of our church. I have been surprised by what I have found there. It is remarkable how much a person can forget! I have found myself grateful for the faithful recording of what took place.

Well, we’ve been here before, and no doubt we will be again. Passages such as Genesis 36 may not be the easiest to read. But they remind us that records, lists, accounts etc are important. God is a God of order, not of chaos, and historical records have their place in doing everything ‘decently and in order.’

^“16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. ¹⁷ And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, ‘Don’t despair, for you have another son.’ ¹⁸ As she breathed her last – for she was dying – she named her son Ben-Oni.But his father named him Benjamin.¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ²⁰ Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.²¹ Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. ²² While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.Jacob had twelve sons:²³ The sons of Leah:Reuben the firstborn of Jacob,Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.²⁴ The sons of Rachel:Joseph and Benjamin.²⁵ The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah:Dan and Naphtali.²⁶ The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah:Gad and Asher.Someone observed, ‘Death is the ultimate statistic. One out of one dies!’ These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.²⁷ Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. ²⁸ Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. ²⁹ Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”NIV

Truly, in life we are in the midst of death. But what is also true is that life goes on for everyone else, and people who may see each other little at other times (maybe never see one another) often come together for a funeral (29b). Bereavement is such a potent human experience, and it can bring people together, if only for a few hours.

I found both of these quotes helpful, and I hope you do too

‘Three deaths are recorded in chapter 35, for death is one of the facts of life. Jacob’s obedience to God did not prevent him from experiencing trials. He lost a friend, Deborah; a favourite wife, Rachel; and then his beloved father.’ Warren W. Wiersbe, ‘With the Word’, pp.39,40.

‘From Bethel to Bethlehem is not far. The one, the ‘’house of God’’; the other, the “house of Bread.” We need them both if we are to bear up under the repeated shocks of life, such as the death of the old nurse Deborah, the death of our beloved Rachels, the sins of our children, and the breakup of the old home. Well is it for Jacob that he had got right with God before these repeated waves broke upon him.’ F.B.Meyer: ‘Devotional Commentary’, p.28.

PRAYER: Lord, may I seek to be so right with you, and so rooted in you, that I am anchored when the storms of adversity threaten to toss my little life around.

^“9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram God appeared to him again and blessed him. ¹⁰ God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.’ So he named him Israel.¹¹ And God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. ¹² The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.’ ¹³ Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him.¹⁴ Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. ¹⁵ Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.”NIV

‘’Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it’’ (14)

Once again we can marvel at the mercy of God towards Jacob, and be encouraged for ourselves. The changing of a person’s name (in a Biblical context) points to the changing of their nature (10). This was, and is, a sovereign work of God, unearned and undeserved.

So God renewed the covenant with Jacob (11,12).

But note what Jacob then did (14,15). He marked it! He responded in worship, and in so doing he marked the sacred ‘’place where God had talked with him’’ (15).

God is continually speaking – in the ‘book’ of nature; but especially in the Book of books, Scripture. (Within this Book, He speaks to us predominantly in Jesus). But although God is always speaking, do you not find that, like Jacob, there are special moments in which God comes to you in (it seems) extra powerful ways/ He shows you things. He reveals truth to you. Maybe He gives you direction. You don’t want to lose that. Capture it. Make sure you mark it in some way.

I mentioned recently that I keep a diary/journal. Just before writing this piece for today, I looked at my entries for this time last year. I came across this prayer I had written on 29^th March 2020:

‘’Lord, as we come into a period where it is expected that the pandemic is going to intensify, I pray you will have mercy, and cut short these days of tribulation. May many lives (and souls) be saved, in Jesus’ Name. Teach us to pray Lord. Teach us how to pray. Please douse the flames of this virus and put out the fire-for your glory. May many come to know you in these days.”

It’s still a relevant prayer I think. As I read through the old pages, I’m glad that I have been able to memorialise certain moments with God, however poor my efforts.

Don’t waste any encounter with God. Worship Him with your whole life poured out before Him like a drink offering. ‘Capture’ what He says. Mark the moment…

…and whatever He says to you, do it!