Soft! Think of the softest thing you have ever touched. What is the softest thing you've felt? (Seek some examples: rabbit's fur; feather pillow; Charmin; down coat; Grandma Lehmann's cheek.)
Such things are truly soft. But you know, there is something even softer and God made use of it in our text. He used it to give a measure of comfort and cheer to one of His distressed children in order to let him know how close God was to him. What did God use that is softer than anything you have ever touched?
Actually, it has touched you; you just weren't aware of it. It's the wings and hands of angels. You have never consciously touched them, but they have touched you many times over, and you never knew it! Indeed, they touch you often for God's angels hover about you, protecting you from danger. Like the psalmist said (91:11), “He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands.”
I remember a time as a child when my brothers, a friend, and I were walking through the woods. We came to a steep hill where a drainage ditch ran down. As we went over to it, I slipped, fell, and slid headfirst, backwards down the ditch into rocks at the bottom. They should have cracked my head open or broken my neck, but I got up without a scratch. How? Angels' hands and wings! You've felt them too, haven't you, even though you didn't know it?
The Bible tells us about a young man named Daniel. He was thrown into a lion's den by wicked men. The lions roared and roamed around him all night, but they did not hurt Daniel for “God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions” (Dn.6:21).
Knowing that angels are nearby can help us from being afraid. But we need more. Angels are not enough. We need to know that God is nearby. How Close Is God ? Much closer than you think!
I. He is here, blessing us with His presence in our lonely hours.
Jacob didn't think God was near him at all. He didn't think anyone was around, outside of the heathen people on whose land he was sleeping. There was good reason Jacob didn't think God was around because once again Jacob's selfish, sinful nature had gotten the better of him and driven the ways of God out. He had done some cruel and horrible things. Perhaps you remember the story.
Jacob was the second of twins born to Isaac and Rebekah. A funny thing happened at their birth. Esau, the eldest, was delivered out of the womb first. But right after him came his little brother with his arms stretched out and holding on to his Esau's heel. He looked like he wanted to hold his brother back so that he himself could be born first. So, the second one was named Jacob; it means “the heel grabber.” And that's exactly the way Jacob lived his early life until God changed him. He sought to hold his brother back, trip him up, and get ahead of him, especially in regards to the birthright.
Normally, the firstborn had the position of privilege in the family. It was the firstborn who after the father's death became the head of the clan and received a double share of the inheritance. And here with the Old Testament patriarchs it meant that the promises given to Abraham, especially of the Savior coming from his family, would be given to the firstborn. But before their birth, God had said that in this case He was going to reverse the natural order as far as the heir to His promise was concerned. Although Esau was born first, the inheritance and promise would fall to Jacob (Gn.25). However, Jacob didn't want to wait for the Lord and His time. He took the matter into his own hands - in a bad way.
First, he tricked his brother into selling the birthright to him for a bowl of soup. Then he deceived his blind father into pronouncing the birthright on him. He dressed up like Esau and came to his father to receive the passing on of the promise. Isaac was fooled and blessed Jacob with the birthright instead of Esau. When Esau figured out what had happened, he wasn't just angry; he was enraged to the point where he swore he would kill his brother Jacob. So with such dishonest dealings, deceptions, threats, and turmoil flying all about, Jacob fled. He left home as a deceitful “heel grabber.” It got him ahead of his brother, but he paid a huge price for his sin being forced to run for his life – and with a guilty conscience besides.
The Bible says, “The way of transgressors is hard” (Pv.13:15 KJV). Sin causes pain. It's been that way since the Fall. Sin is bad enough. But to sin knowingly and to continue in sin willfully will make life hard (Hb.10:26). For Jacob it was hard to leave home and family; it was hard to run for one's life; it was hard to be alone and afraid. That's what lying, deceiving, and trickery will get you for sin alienates us from each other, but most of all from God. He wants us to trust, believe, and follow Him. The way of sin is hard.
So it is that we find Jacob alone, afraid, asleep from exhaustion. His bed – the ground; his pillow – a rock; his blanket – a coat; his shelter – an open sky as he had run for more than 60 miles from home. What else lay ahead, only God knew? But God was nowhere in sight. Why would God be near to Jacob after the evil he had done? Exhausted, alone, afraid he fell fast asleep.
In that sleep God had prepared a special treat for the “Heel-grabber.” As he was dreaming all of a sudden there was a heavenly stairway! Then angels going up and down! And look, the Lord Himself! In spite of the “Heel-grabber's” deceit and distrustful way, God was still near. What a marvelous way for the Lord to cheer His sad child - alone, afraid, and guilty. How Close Was God? He was there, blessing Jacob with His presence in his lonely hour!
To know God as the ever-present Lord is a blessing. No matter how trying the circumstance, how hard the sin, how hidden the appearances, we dare not forget that God is faithful (1Co.10:13). Even in the midst of the sinner's unfaithfulness, He is the great “I am,” the constant, unchanging Lord, the God of free and faithful grace who reveals the promise of a Savior to us. We are not outside of His presence. Even though we often attempt to fashion our own destiny and thwart His ways, He is always in control. To the fearful He is here, blessing us with His presence in our lonely hour. The question is not “Where is He?” but “Where are we?”
So it is that James urges us, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and He will come near to you” (4:8). How can you be near to Him when He can't be seen?
II. He is here comforting us with His promises that soothe our sorrows.
That reminds me of an illustration I once read in one of our children's devotion books – a simple story, yet quite profound.
A little girl once asked her father, “Dad, is God way up there where the airplane flies?” “He sure is, dear,” her father replied. “And when it flies away, is God where the plane is then?” “Yes,” God is there, too.” Then the girl asked, “Is God always far away?” “No,” her father replied. “God is everywhere, and He's also very close to us.” “How can I be real close to God?” she asked. Then her father told her that verse from the Book of James: “The Bible says, ‘Come near to God and He will come near to you.” “But how can I come near to God?” she asked.
It is true; He is here. But how do you come close to Him when you can't see Him?
Well, that's not hard to answer, and you don't have to visibly see him or dream of Him on a ladder to do it. All you have to do is listen to what God says in the Bible; think about what He's done for you and wants to do; and approach Him in prayer.
The Epistle Lesson this morning told us that we can come to Him through faith in Christ, for “since we have been justified through faith,” Paul writes, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Ro.5:2). Those words are so important – “Peace with God in Christ! Through Him we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”
Through Christ you stand in God's presence; He is your entrance there (Jn.10:9). When you hear His Word, receive His Sacrament, and are thereby assured of Christ's redeeming work for sin, and believe it, you are standing before God. Sin kept you away (Is.59:2); but grace through faith leads you before Him..
You see, dear friend, you don't have to wait until you get to heaven before you see God. You already see Him with your eyes of faith and indeed stand in His presence. In His Word He talks to you and assures you like He did Jacob: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to me. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Wow! What gracious and precious promises those are to hear because they come from the heart of God and tell you exactly where you stand before Him. Sinner? Yes! Untrusting? Sometimes! “Heel-grabber”? Occasionally even that! But Christ died for that sin on the cross. You heard in today's Gospel Lesson (Mk.8:31f) how determined He was to do it so that we could come close to God, reconciled, redeemed, restored as His children. God's physical presence doesn't tell you that. But His words promise you it. And He is faithful to them. Wherever believers gather around that saving word, there He is in the midst of them (Mt.18:20).
How Close Is God? Well, His angels softly touch you. The knowledge of His presence blesses you in your lonely hours . But most of all His promises here comfort and soothe you in your sorrows. God grant us the faith to believe it as Jacob did. May we draw near to God; He will come close to us for Jesus' sake. Amen.