God Finishes What He Starts

Behold, I am with you

and will keep you wherever you go,

and will bring you back to this land;

for I will not leave you

until I have done

what I have promised you.

Genesis 28:15

Isaac sent Jacob to the land of Paddan-aram. This is where Rebekah’s brother lived. Isaac sent Jacob to find himself a wife. Rebekah would have no part of her favorite son being married to a Canaanite woman. This also was her excuse to protect Jacob from Esau, whom she had heard was out to kill him over the birthright blessing.

Isaac placed the blessing of Abraham on to Jacob before he sent him. However, it did not become concrete until God Himself spoke this blessing upon Jacob. Isn’t this the way it is with us? We can pray blessings over our children. We can raise them up in the ways and knowledge of God, but in all that we do, God does not become real to them until they have had their own distinct and personal encounter with Him.

In this chapter, the Lord appears to Jacob in a dream. This Lord, who was the God of his father Abraham and the God of his father Isaac, would now soon become the God of Jacob.

God promises Jacob that He will not leave him until He has done what He has promised him. I believe these words of God speak past the pages of Genesis. These words tell me that God is still with Jacob, still with his descendants, for God has yet to finish all of what He has promised.

Even though thousands of years have passed, do not think that God is slow concerning His promise, for God is always on time. The descendants simply are not yet all born.

Galatians 3:29 declares, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.”

In John 1:12–13 we read, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

No, precious one, God is not slow concerning His promise; He is patient. He is waiting for the birth of all His children, for He will see us all safe in the land He has promised.

Are you born in Him?

Oh Father,

What peace this promise gives me—to know that You will not leave me until You have done what You have promised. Philippians 1:6 says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Oh Father, You have promised to bring me to Yourself, so I wait for You and I long for the day that I will be with You. Father, I am so thankful for Your personal call on my life. It is an intimate and personal salvation. You are not simply the God of Israel, the God of the church, the God of my parents; You are my God. I know You, and You know me. I must worship You in solitude before I can worship You corporately. I must worship You on this earth before I can worship You in heaven. Oh Father, I walk with You even if no one else walks with You because I know that with You as my God, I never walk alone.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.