When you left home the first time, where were you going?  What was your destination?  What were your expectations for the end of your journey?  Looking back, were your expectations fulfilled or unfulfilled?  Perhaps you can relate to Jacob when he left home the first time.

We can know Jacob was over forty years old because his twin brother had married two women when he was forty years of age.  Those marriages took place before Jacob left home.  (Genesis 26:34)

(NASB) Genesis 28:10 “Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran.”

As Jacob set out on this journey to find a wife from his mother’s relatives:
-Did he leave behind the fear of his brother’s anger, bitterness and threats?  (Genesis 27:41)
-Did he have regrets of deceiving his father for the blessing?
(Genesis 27:5-29)
-As he was going, did he have sorrow in leaving his beloved mother? (Genesis 27:13)

As he walked on the long road North toward Haran, did he become more and more excited?  After all he was going to find himself a wife!  He was going to start his own family! (Genesis 28:1-5)

How exciting to have a destination in your mind.  Expectations are high as you go forward into your future.

We never know what is over the next hill or around the next curve do we?  We eagerly pursue our future.  And so did Jacob.

Leaving home…

going forward into your future…

high expectations…

great anticipation…

Did Jacob go with God?  It would not seem so from Scripture.  Jacob knew God as the God of his parents, but not for himself.

~ Take it to heart ~

Do you know the living God for yourself as you journey through life?
He is calling to all who would turn to Him today, just as he did throughout Israel’s history.

(NASB) Isaiah 45:22-23
“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 ‘I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness
And will not turn back,
That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”