God’s mercy knows no end! Jacob tricked his old, blind father and his hairy big brother. He never had a chance to say “Forgive me” to his father, because Isaac died. And he was still too afraid to get near angry Esau to say he was sorry. He had to flee his homeland all by himself. How lonely and scared he must have felt! No wonder he was so amazed that God came to him and made his home with him. And even more, God blessed him with lots of animals and a big family. And from that big family would come Jesus, who would bring blessing to all families. Because God always keeps his promises.

Did trickster Jacob deserve God’s blessings? Of course not. Do we deserve the blessings that we have in Jesus—forgiveness of sins, a new heart, the Holy Spirit within, a big family (the church)? Of course not. What good news that in Jesus, God makes his home with us. We learned Jesus’s name means “Savior” because he saves. He is also called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus did not use a ladder to travel from heaven to earth, but he did travel from heaven to earth. Why? To be Savior and Immanuel. Isn’t it wonderful that God saves and is always with us?