“…I am with you and I will protect you wherever you go…
I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:15
Jacob was fleeing from his brother who wanted to kill him. On his way, he personally encountered God for the first time in his life. Through a dream, the Lord reminded Jacob that He was the God of his ancestors, and that the very land on which he was lying was actually his inheritance. However, most precious to Jacob’s ears must have been the words that followed, “I am with you and I will protect you...”
God understood the fear and discouragement Jacob was feeling, and so He added the most loving timeframe to His promises: “I will not leave you UNTIL I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” At that point in Jacob’s life, there was a lot of unfinished business. He had no home, no land, and no family to inherit the possessions he did not yet own. So, how long was God promising to be with Jacob? Until there was no more unfinished business!
When we look at our lives, sometimes all we can see is unfinished business…dozens of promises not yet fulfilled. But we can believe that neither will the God of Jacob leave us UNTIL His business for us is finished. And, since one of His promises is eternal life, we can be sure that UNTIL will go on forever!
