Daily Devotional | God with Us

Over the past year, our family has gotten to know several Ukrainian families who came to the United States because of the war. They did not want to move to a new country, learn a new language, and start over. When we are walking through difficult seasons, it is easy to feel alone and wonder, “Does God care?”

The author of Genesis described Jacob as “a quiet man, dwelling in tents” (Gen. 25:27 ESV). Jacob was a homebody. Yet he had to flee home because his brother wanted to kill him (Gen. 27:42–43). There was another good reason to leave—to find a wife from his mother’s family (vv. 1–5) to avoid marrying the Canaanite as Esau had done.

As Jacob began his journey, he could not find anyone to show him hospitality for the night. He ended up sleeping under the stars with a stone for a pillow (v. 11). He may have wondered, “Has God abandoned me? Is God with me? Or am I all alone in this?” As he slept, Jacob had a dream of a stairway connecting heaven and earth (v. 12). Messengers of God were ascending and descending. From the top of this stairway, God proclaimed to Jacob that he was chosen to inherit the promise given to Abraham (vv. 13–14). God affirmed, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land” (v. 15). This encounter had a profound impact on Jacob (vv. 16–18). He vowed to commit himself to the Lord (vv. 20–22).

God has clearly affirmed that He is with us through the coming of Jesus, the Emmanuel (Matt. 1:23). Despite how we may feel at any given moment, we can trust God’s promise: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

Go Deeper

How does our belief that God is present with us, no matter where we go, change the way we live?

Pray with Us: Eternal God, we praise You for Your everlasting goodness toward Your people. You said to Jacob, “I am with you.” And in the same way, You are our Immanuel, “God with us”! We rejoice in Your presence and love!

BY Ryan Cook

Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.