Weekly Missive

October 15, 2026

Catching Up with Jacob

Our journey through Grace upon Grace: The Story We Find in Scripture is moving quickly now.

Two weeks ago we were with Abraham and Sarah, learning what it means to live in the promise. Last Sunday we went back to the story of Hagar and Ishmael and met the God who sees and hears people even outside the particular line through which the covenant continues.

This Sunday we jump ahead to Genesis 32, where Jacob spends a long night wrestling with a mysterious stranger and comes away with a new name, a blessing—and a limp.

That is a pretty big jump in the story, and I am certainly not going to ask you to read fifteen chapters in preparation between Thursday and Sunday! But if you have some time, you might want to catch up with Jacob before worship.

Here are some of the highlights along the way:

• Genesis 21–22: Isaac is born, and Abraham later faces the terrible test of offering Isaac.
• Genesis 24: Abraham’s servant finds Rebekah, who becomes Isaac’s wife.
• Genesis 25: Jacob and Esau are born as twins, already struggling with one another; later Esau trades his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.
• Genesis 27: Jacob and Rebekah deceive the aging Isaac, and Jacob receives the blessing intended for Esau. Esau is furious, and Jacob runs for his life.
• Genesis 28: On the way into exile, Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven and discovers that God has not abandoned him.
• Genesis 29–31: Jacob spends years with his uncle Laban, where the trickster discovers that he is not the only person who knows how to maneuver and manipulate.
• Genesis 32: At last Jacob heads home—and learns that Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred men.

I am not trying to assign homework, but if you want to read just a few snippets of the story before Sunday, I would suggest Genesis 25:19–34, Genesis 27, Genesis 28:10–22, and Genesis 32. That will give you enough of Jacob’s story to understand why the man standing alone beside the Jabbok River has so much to wrestle with.

And please come spend some time with us at the Pumpkin Patch this Saturday evening! The Living Stones, who joined us for this year’s Coastal Music Festival, will be back with us at 6:00 p.m., this time playing acoustic music around the fire pit at the Patch. We will also have our first Holy Ghost Weenie Roast, complete with hot dogs and s’mores. It should be a fun evening to enjoy the Patch, spend time together, and welcome our neighbors.

Then on Sunday we will pick up Jacob’s story face to face—as the man who has spent his life grasping for blessing finally encounters a blessing he cannot steal or manipulate.

See you at the Patch and in worship!

Peace,
Pastor Debbie