Read
Jacob Arrives
1As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. 3Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
4Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they answered.
5Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.
6“How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
8But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. 10When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. 12He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. 14Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”
Jacob Marries Leah
After Jacob had been there for a month, 15Laban said to him, “You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
Reflect
As he moves closer to his uncle Laban’s territory near Haran, Jacob’s heart and mind are filled with the blessing of his father and the promise from his encounter with God. He arrives at a well, covered by a large stone. In a manner very similar to how his grandfather Abraham’s servant had been divinely directed to meet Rebekah so she could be Isaac’s wife, so Jacob arrives at a well where God has a divine appointment arranged. He inquires of some shepherds about his uncle Laban and they indicate they know him. At that very moment Laban’s daughter Rachel arrives with her sheep (vv1-6).
He now sees Rachel and is very motivated to help water her sheep! With some urgency he asks the shepherds why they are not watering their flocks. They indicate the stone is too heavy and they need all the shepherds to arrive in order to move it. This is not going to stop Jacob. Single-handedly he moves the stone and waters his uncle’s sheep. The joy of discovery combined with both natural and divine strength allows Jacob to complete a seemingly impossible task (vv 7-10).
Jacob is deeply moved by this combination of events. After indicating to Rachel how they are related he gives her a kiss of greeting and begins to weep. She in turn quickly makes the journey back to her home to let her father know that his nephew has arrived (vv 11,12). Laban receives this as very good news and immediately makes his way to greet Jacob with a welcome embrace and kiss. When Jacob provides an overview of what has transpired in his life Laban reinforces the sense of family bond they have and exclaims, “You are my own flesh and blood” (vv 13-14a NIV).
There is in this story a joyful blend of pursuing God’s call, experiencing his clear direction and connecting with those who bring a deep sense of belonging and hope. When we pursue God’s purposes we too have those moments when we can say “God is with me, he has prepared the way and he has given me companions for the journey.” Like Jacob we experience the pleasure of knowing we are in the right place at the right time.
Respond
Sovereign Lord, you are the One who divinely directs our ways. Let us be open to the journey you have for us, so that we can experience the joy of discovering what you have in mind for us along the way, through Jesus our way maker, Amen.
David R. Wells
Dave Wells has served as General Superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) since May 2008 after serving as the District Superintendent of the BC/Yukon District. He served as Senior Associate Pastor at Broadway Church, Vancouver from 1994 to 1999 and previously pastored in Hamilton, On, Calgary, AB and Red Deer, AB. Dave has served as a Canadian chaplain for the Olympic (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016) Paralympic (2010), Pan Am (2011, 2015), Parapans (2015), Invictus (2017) and Commonwealth Games (1990,1994, 2002, 2014, 2018). He has served as the Chair of the organizing committee’s Multi-Faith committee which organized the Vancouver-Whistler Olympic chaplaincy at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Toronto 2015 chaplaincy at the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games and the chaplaincy at the Invictus Games 2017. He served as Chair from 2007-2013 of the Board for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. He has an MA in Christian Ministry from Briercrest Seminary, SK and has been awarded honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees by McMaster Divinity College and Briercrest College and Seminary. Dave and his wife Susan have 3 children and eight grandchildren (one of whom is in heaven).