REFOCUS
Use this breath prayer based on Isaiah 6:3
“Holy, Holy, Holy,
is the Lord of hosts,
All the earth
is full of Your glory.”
READ
Jeremiah 22:24
Jeremiah 22:24
“Can a man hide himself in hiding places
So I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.
Psalm 139
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Genesis 28:16
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
REFLECT
Hidden in Plain Sight
Maybe you’ve heard the expression, “if it had been a snake, it would have bit me.” It is used when we miss something that is right in front of us. Or, as you have likely heard others say, it is “hidden in plain sight.” Some sources say the expression hails from Appalachia since that region of the US contains many poisonous snakes.
Others point out that the idiom can be found throughout America, even in areas of the country where there are no poisonous snakes. Apparently, it has even made its way into other countries. It seems that not seeing the obvious is a common human experience. In time we can get so used to something around us that we forget it is even there.
But some things are not so forgettable. The thirty preschool children from Mike Szewczyk’s class at Good Beginnings are now adults. Still, it’s likely that all remember the day they boarded the bus for their field trip to Reptile World in St. Cloud, FL. Mike hoped to expose them to the wonders of nature. He got more than expected.
When George VanHorn, the owner and reptile trainer of the Serpentarium was preparing to demonstrate how venom was extracted from poisonous snakes, things went sideways.
The snake featured was a 12-foot King Cobra named “Show Material.” VanHorn placed the snake on the floor in a glassed-in room with the children on the other side of the glass. He was about to catch the snake to extract the venom, when a sudden movement caused the cobra to launch himself and sink his fangs into the trainer’s arm.
Even though he quickly injected antivenom it took only moments till he began to turn blue and slip into a coma. The coma lasted for three days. He recovered with only partial damage to his arm. One wonders about the impact the sight had on the children. Certainly, no one will forget that fateful trip. Experiences like these are unforgettable.
So it was with Jacob. His encounter with the a god “hidden in plain sight,” is not one he will likely forget. If you remember the story, you’ll know that Jacob is running to save his life. His pursuer is his burly brute of a brother, Esau. After deceiving their faither into giving him what rightly belonged to Esau — the top position of authority and the largest part of the family inheritance — Jacob is in real trouble.
And so, he runs. Actually, the Hebrew language records that he “stumbles forward,” moving at break speed in no particular direction – as long as its away from Esau. He keeps running and only stops, the text tells us, when it becomes so dark and he is so tired, that he cannot see his way or find his strength to go any further. At this inauspicious spot, he collapses. Soon, with only a rock to lay his head on, he falls asleep.
Sunday school children can tell us what happens next. As he sleeps, he dreams and, in his dream, he sees a ladder that connects heaven and earth. It’s God’s way of telling him that his life is not closed off from heaven’s sight and influence.
God has broken through the heavens and is meeting Jacob on earth. He is present there with him. Not only this, the promise of blessing that God has made to Jacob’s family is with Jacob as well and God is intent on fulfilling it – even through a cheating scoundrel like Jacob.
So powerful is this message that when Jacob awakes, he proclaims, “Surely the Lord was in the place, and I didn’t know it.” Or, translated into the popular American idiom – “If He had been a snake, he would have bit me!” Jacob is so impressed with what has happened that he wants to mark the spot. He names the place “Beth-el” meaning “the house of God.” In other words, he declares the space is a sacred one – a place where God abides.
The name drips with comic irony since the reader knows that the place itself is actually quite common. The text has already shown us that it has nothing to commend this particular place. It goes to lengths to illustrate that Jacob has found it quite by accident. The full truth is what the psalmist tells us, “the whole earth is full of His glory.”
That means that God was there when Jacob deceived Esau. He will be there as Jacob continues to run. He will be there when he returns to his deceit and seeks to get the better of another relative. And, twenty years later, when he decides to return to his home and face his angry brother, God will again be there to meet with Jacob.
Such irony points us to the broader message of scripture when it repeatedly tells us that God “fills the earth!” What is different for Jacob is not the place but that God has finally gotten his attention.
Jacob has finally seen the obvious even if he mistakenly thinks that only this place is sacred. God has been “hidden in plain sight.” It is not a snake that kills, but a God who gives life that has attached itself to Jacob. And this place, at least for Jacob, will never be the same.
Jacob’s story tells us that when God gets our attention — when we notice His presence, things change. The common is made sacred. Places that seem accidental take on meaning. Even our attempt to run from our sin and who we are is transformed into a path back to Him.
Even our decent “into the darkness… becomes light.” Though not bitten, we are smitten – this time by seeing Him present with us.
RESPOND
Questions to Consider
- Is there a place or a time that holds special significance for you because you experienced God there? What are some things that you will never forget about it?
- In what upcoming place or time today would you be aware of the God who is “hidden in plain sight?” What would you hope that that awareness would do for you?
Prayer
First, the old song “Jacob’s ladder” can serve as a reminder that we are hiers to the promise of God given to Jacob. Just as He was with Jacob He is with us. Celebrate God’s goodness with this song.
I am climbing Jacob’s ladder
Every rung goes higher, higher
Children, do you love my Jesus
If you love him, why not serve him
Rise and shine, give God the glory.
Then, take a moment to bring to mind the places you will go to today. Then, pray the following: Heavenly Father, You fill heaven and earth with Your glory. Give me eyes to see your presence in this day and in the place(s) where I will be. Especially let me be aware of your presence as I ___________________. (fill this in with items from your schedule).
Blessings,
Rev. James R. Needham, PhD, MDiv