Every Pilgrim carries a staff; consider how significant a staff was to the pilgrim Jacob. When he fled before the face of his brother, and slept on the rock, under the open sky at Bethel, his staff was his only possession of note. It was a comfort to his longing for home. He was heir to the land of Canaan, but as he sojourned in Syria, the one piece of his inheritance he possessed was his staff, for it came from the wood of Canaan. It eased the weariness of travel, giving some relief from the long roads he was forced to walk. It was a defense against foes, robbers, animals, and other such dangers. It was the symbol of his calling, the mark of his pilgrimage, for he had no intention of settling down from his journey until he came into his own inheritance, the City of God. Yes, the staff was a simple thing, just a piece of wood, nothing more. But to Jacob, it was perhaps the most precious thing he owned; yea the only thing he owned when he slept upon a rock at Bethel.
It was here at Bethel that God gave Jacob the promise that serves as the Staff for all God’s Pilgrims in all ages, the promise to be with him, and never leave him. This promise would see him through his many wanderings in an even deeper way than his physical staff ever could. When he longed for the familiar scenes of home, he could cling to this promise, and remember that this place, just like Bethel, is the house of God, because God will not leave him. When he was weary, he could claim the comfort of his God, for he was there. When he longed for his inheritance, to rest in the City of God, he could at least rejoice that he already possessed the greatest piece of that inheritance, the presence of God himself. When he was in danger, this promise would sustain him. When he would be tempted to join with the Canaanites around him, he would remember that the presence of God with him set him apart from the rest. So just as Jacob’s physical staff became a symbol for him of comfort, defense, inheritance, position, and status; the promise of God to be with him always served as the life and reality of all those things.
So, to a pilgrim on this earth, God promises “I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Matt. 28:19; Heb 13:5).” This promise of God’s presence serves as our staff, just as it did for Jacob. It is but a simple thing, but its simplicity does not in any way diminish its importance. When I long to cease my wanderings, and come into my own, I think of this promise, the little piece of heaven I have now, the earnest of my inheritance, and I am comforted. For what is the glory of heaven but the presence of God among us? God’s presence is our sure defense, for what earthly peril can threaten him? This promise is the defining characteristic of our lives, for it distinguishes us from the rest of mankind who know him not. This promise ennobles us, for how can we act carnally when God is with us? It rejoices our hearts, for God is the source of eternal joy, and he is with us even now. Someday, God will exalt the pilgrim staff above all the scepters of power in the universe, as he exalted the staff of Moses above the scepter of Pharaoh. For the day will come when Christ shall be universally proclaimed King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and his people shall reign with him as kings and priests. In that day, I will reign, resting on the same sweet promise that sustained me in my wanderings, that God is with me, and will never leave nor forsake me. Whether as a pilgrim’s staff or a ruler’s scepter, God’s promise to be with me will be my joy and glory both now and forever, amen.
