"Stairway To Heaven"

"There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven.  When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed, with a word she can get what she came for."

These are the opening lyrics of the number one requested rock and roll song of all time.  The group, Led Zeppelin, wrote "Stairway To Heaven" about 40 years ago.  Robert Plant, group vocalist, wrote the song and said that it concerned "a woman getting everything she wanted without giving anything back."

Perhaps the lyrics are a reflection of the "me" generation of years gone by.  For most of us, we can't get everything we want but as Christians we have been assured that we can get what we need, especially when we are willing to give back to others.

In the 28th chapter of Genesis is the story of Jacob encountering the stairway to heaven.  Before this encounter, Jacob was on many occasions a person who took without giving anything back.  He is now running for his life because he stole his brother's inheritance and blessing and is fearful that Esau will track him down and kill him.  Exhausted from running, he lies down and falls asleep.

The 12th verse tells us:  "He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it."  In the dream God said He would watch over Jacob, provide him with many descendants and riches, and be with him forever.

"When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, 'Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.'  He was afraid and said, 'How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.'"  (Genesis 28:16-17).  Jacob was amazed that the Lord was there all the time and he was not even aware of it.  Bolstered with new confidence and conviction in the Lord, Jacob made the first vow recorded in the Bible.  He said, ". . . the Lord will be my God . . . and of all that You give me I will give You a tenth."

The Bible tells us that as Christians, the Lord is with us.  Unfortunately, as is the case with Jacob, we don't always recognize His presence.  Perhaps that is because we don't look for Him.  In this new year of 2013, may our greatest resolution be to look for and anticipate the presence of God.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages us not to worry about food, clothing, shelter or the things of life that stress us out.  "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  The stairway to heaven is for those who seek the Lord and His righteousness.