Greetings from Mississippi ☀️

Mary and I are visiting the Holland side of our Leeholland family in Mississippi.

Mississippi has a special place in my heart. For one, my dearest wife is from here. And two, I get to spend time with her wonderful family that has felt like my own from day 1.

I still remember the first time I visited here.

I was shocked by the prevalence of greenery. The trees that dance with the wind, the sunsets that paint the sky every day, and the harmony between bristling leaves and chirpy birds. My spirit has an easier time finding rest here.

Then, there are the people. Here, people are curious to learn about you, not the things about you. There’s less pleasantries around one’s job, dreams, and ambitions. Instead, people ask about your family, your upbringing, the things that excite you, and what stories you have in your pocket to share. Everyone here’s got a story or two that’ll crack you up and help you appreciate the simplicity of life.

There’s also Southern hospitality. Yes, it’s a real thing. There’s a pastor whom I admire, Mr. Eddie, who officiated our wedding. He’s quite an exceptional person who came to Christ through Mary’s dad during his prison ministry days. To this day, the two remain good friends, and every holiday season, Mr. Eddie sends a load of food for the Hollands to enjoy for months on end. No, I’m not kidding— I’m talkin’ gumbo, steak, chicken, baked beans, corn, so on and so forth. Around the Christmas season, Mary’s house gets filled with presents from neighbors down the street, friends from church, and honestly, seemingly anyone and everyone in town. Community in the South is not a biblical concept; it’s a way of living.

Last but not least, there’s Mary’s family. The family who welcomed me as their own from the moment I set foot in their home. Grounded in their faith, Mr. Leigh and Mrs. Celia live out their lives as if their hearts are still on fire with first love for Christ. On any day, you may hear Mr. Leigh talking about how he shared the gospel with a stranger and Mrs. Celia talking about someone in the community she cared for. The heart they have for people and their generosity are truly radical— something out of a movie I tell you. When they spend time with you, you’ll feel most cherished. They are curious about you, care for you, and love you in ways you need.

Mississippi is by no means a perfect place. But the warmth and the humanity that exist here is something that hits close to home for me. A rarity in this day and age.

I look forward to spending the next week here and am excited to see what God has in store for me. I always walk away from this place learning a thing or two and having a fresh new perspective on life.

Today’s story is about Jacob. Jacob, the heel grabber. Jacob, the one who famously wrestled with God for His blessing. His audacity stands out amongst others in the Bible. And his prayer when faced with his worst fear sets an example of how our heartstance should be before our God the Father.

Without further ado, let’s get into the Word.

If anyone crosses your mind as you read, I encourage you to put your faith into action by forwarding this post along, perhaps coupled with a loving word of encouragement. You just may make someone’s day without knowing it.

The Word of God

The 1-2-3 of What I Found Encouraging

1. In his prayer, Jacob first establishes who God is

To set the context for what’s happening, Jacob’s been away from his hometown Bethel for 20 years, working for his father-in-law. After the relationship between Jacob and his father-in-law’s family turns sour, Jacob flees with his own family. On his journey back to Bethel, he learns his brother Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men…

Jacob shudders in fear— and understandably so. You see, earlier on in his life, Jacob not only took Esau’s birthright (Gen. 25), but he also deceived his father Isaac to take the blessing that was set aside for Esau (Gen. 27). Upon finding out he was tricked, Esau vows to kill Jacob once Isaac passes (Gen. 27:41).

It’s all quite wild. Why do we ever bother turning to Succession for family drama? All the good old stories have already been covered in the Bible.

Back to the present time, Jacob turns to God to seek help and prays:

“O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’” (Gen. 32:9)

I love how Jacob begins his prayer by establishing who God is. To Jacob, God wasn’t just a distant divine being. He knew God is the God of his father and grandfather, the One who led them faithfully and delivered them from troubles time and time again.

God, the same God who made a covenant with Abram before he ever imagined being a father to many nations. God, the One who promised Abraham and Sarah a child despite Sarah being past the age of childbearing. God, the One who promised and reminded Isaac of his blessings to come when his family was ostracized by Abimelek.

Isn’t God and His faithfulness a thing of beauty?

In seeing how Jacob acknowledges God, I am reminded of how easily I forget just who God is. He is the very Creator of the Universe who sees the beauty in us through Christ and calls us His own.

2. Jacob’s humility and appreciation for God

Over the course of my life, I’ve come to admire various kinds of people. At times, I looked up to those who are intelligent, and other times, those who exemplify determination, wealth, success, etc. etc. It changed every so often until God spoke to me through the lives of Moses and David.

This is what the Bible says about Moses: “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Num. 12:3).

This is what the Bible says about David: “a man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).

The point I’m trying to make here is there’s something special about those who are humble. The ones who exalt others before themselves. There are countless verses about God’s appreciation for those who are humble. Here’s just to name a few: Matthew 18:4, James 4:6, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:4, Ezekiel 21:26.

Jacob knew his place before God in praying, “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.” (Gen. 32:10)

I don’t know about you, but it takes nearly every fiber in my body to embrace humility. I grew up with insecurities due to my upbringing, and I’d taken on a poor habit of boasting in an attempt to set myself apart. In hindsight, it was all a fool’s game.

When I learned that all that I am and all that I have are because of God, I realized I have nothing to be prideful about. Paul says we brought nothing into this world (1 Tim. 6:7), and he boasts about his weaknesses, for Jesus’ power is made perfect in his weakness (2 Cor. 12:8-10).

In the present times, I find nothing more encouraging and motivating than interacting with humble followers of Christ. When Jacob says he’s unworthy of God’s goodness, I don’t see a weak man; rather, I see a wise man who understands that faith is not by works but by the grace of God. When Jacob says he had nothing to start with and all that he has was provided, not earned, I don’t see a man who’s humblebragging; rather, I see a man who is confident enough to give credit to God, to whom it is due.

3. The beauty of standing on God’s promise

Towards the end of the prayer, in verse 12, Jacob repeats the covenant God made with Jacob before he left Bethel 20 years ago (Gen. 28:13-15).

Jacob says, “But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted’” (Gen. 32:12).

Now, fast-forwarding to when Jacob finally meets Esau, to Jacob’s surprise, Esau “ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him” (Gen. 33:4). A side note: I just realized this is analogous to the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:20). How neat!

Upon finally returning to Bethel, Jacob glorifies God “who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone” (Gen. 35:3).

20 years ago, before Jacob had ever set foot out of Bethel, God promised Jacob that He'll bless his family and bring him back home.

20 years had gone by without Jacob forgetting what his Lord told him. Despite all the ups and downs of life, Jacob held God’s words close to his chest.

20 years later, when faced with his worst fear, Jacob remembered God’s promise and invoked it.

Many many years later, Paul writes about the power of God’s promises in Hebrews 6:

“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

My Encouragement for You

Is your heart burning with passion too as you read Jacob’s story?

I’m bursting with energy on the other side of this letter. Gosh, I don’t think I can nearly appreciate all the wonders in the Bible even if I were to read it a hundred times before my last day.

So, what does this all mean for us, personally? It’s as Paul said, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:19).

God’s already spoken literally everything we need and will need in order for us to thrive beyond merely fighting for survival.

With the Spirit dwelling within us, we already possess what it takes to be the salt and the light of the world: to set an example of living a life that’s full.

I encourage you, dear beloved, to stand firm in your identity in Christ and stand tall on God’s promises. Be fearless and “let your light shine before others” (Matt. 5:16).

With love, Jae

Got any prayer requests or praises? You’re welcome to share them here.

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105)