Jacob's Ladder

Long ago there was a young man named Jacob. He had to travel far from home, all alone, across a wide and lonely desert.

When night fell, Jacob was tired, frightened, and far from anyone who loved him. There was no cozy bed and no soft pillow — only the hard ground and the cold desert air. So he found a smooth stone, rested his head on it, and fell asleep beneath the stars.

And then Jacob had the most wonderful dream.

He saw a great shining ladder — or a stairway — rising all the way from the ground up into heaven. And on it, God’s angels were going up and coming down, up and down, between heaven and earth.

At the very top stood God himself, and God spoke to Jacob with a beautiful promise: “I am with you. I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will never leave you.”

When Jacob woke up, his heart was full of wonder. “Surely the Lord is in this place,” he said, “and I didn’t even know it! This is none other than the house of God, and the gateway to heaven.”

Jacob had felt completely alone — but he was never alone at all. Heaven was right there beside him, and God’s angels were watching over him the whole time.

It’s the same for you. Even on the loneliest, darkest night, God is near, and his angels are keeping watch. You are never truly alone.