Hidden Holy Ground

"Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he had 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." (Genesis 28:10-11 NIV)

My friends and I are still crawling our way through Genesis and this week we are camped out in chapter 28. Jacob has been unceremoniously ousted from the only home he’d ever known. Admittedly, he deserved the booting, but I’m sure it smarted nonetheless.

Not unlike his someday son, the favored child found himself alone in a world vastly different from the sheltered tents he’d grown up in. His mama’s affection was out of reach. The indoor kid was suddenly sleeping outside with a rock as a pillow. The text doesn’t give any indicator of accompaniment; Jacob was seemingly all on his own in the wilderness. How terrifying.

Only he wasn’t as unattended as one would presume. That barren, lonely place was actually chalk-full of heaven.

Jacob fell asleep perched upon a rock of pain, but he awoke to the glory of God descending.

We are actually pretty terrible judges of character AND territory. Holy ground isn’t always obvious. Uncomfortable stretches of acute anonymity and exile are actually fertile ground for the presence of God. The rocky pillow where Jacob placed his head was revealed to be the hidden doorstep of heaven.

Jacob probably went to sleep thinking he was so very far off his life’s course. He woke up to the reality that God was all over the unforeseen change in plans.

It’s of great comfort to us to realize God can meet us in the most barren square footage and make something Kingdom productive out of the losses we’ve accrued. His mercy isn’t limited to well-watered places. Grace blooms in the desert, also.

We often wind up in the wilderness because sin sends us there. We are sent by our own sin, but also by the sins of others. Sometimes it’s an ugly cocktail of the two. We see this as far back as Cain living east of Eden, but also in the narratives of Hagar, Ishmael, Joseph, Moses and many more. Over and over we read how God meet is willing to meet us outcasts in unlikely ways. God can accomplish something empty places that may not happen in populated spaces.

We go into the wilderness because sin sends us there, but we come out again leaning on our Beloved. We find that these uninhabited, solo stretches are actually exquisite opportunities to meet our Savior face to face.

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?" (Song of Songs 8:5 NIV)

Lord, we still don’t like wilderness. We’d rather work and eat and sleep in relative comfort and vibrant community. Yet, today we see where barren spaces are ripe with Your presence. There’s hidden potential in exile. May we look to meet with You wherever You send us. Amen.