...And the family drama continues for Jacob (Isaac's son) in Genesis 29-31. Despite all the ups and downs of life, Jacob still has God's favor as he gets married and begins his own family. God's favor doesn't make for an easy road for Jacob, but it does come with blessings along the way. Jacob works 20 years for his greedy father-in-law and gets stuck in the middle of two real sister-wives competing to see who can have the most children. It gets ugly and blows up when Jacob finally decides he's had enough. Remember God's promise to Abraham to make him the father of a great nation? Slowly but surely, God is working out the details of His bigger story through Jacob.
Have you ever stopped to think about your struggles and weaknesses through the lens of God's promises for you? It is a real eye opener for me today.
Let's look at God's promise to Jacob from the previous chapter of Genesis. Jacob has a personal encounter with God, and commits himself to following God the way his father and grandfather did.
Have you ever stopped to think about your struggles and weaknesses through the lens of God's promises for you? It is a real eye opener for me today.
Let's look at God's promise to Jacob from the previous chapter of Genesis. Jacob has a personal encounter with God, and commits himself to following God the way his father and grandfather did.
3 There above it[a] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b] 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
This is the same promise God has given the family before, lots of children and prosperity. Does anyone else find it interesting that every single generation from Abraham to Isaac struggled to be parents? The very things God guarantees them also serve as the source of their greatest hardships. Look at all Jacob goes through to have what we all knew he was going to have...
40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”
Hmmm. Let's think about this for our own lives.
God's plan, His promise to us, many times, isn't simple and straightforward, short and sweet. Like Jacob, we can know the promise without having any idea how in the world it's going to happen. But, it's still 100% guaranteed when we commit ourselves to following Him.
What do you think God tries to teach us as we follow His promises for our own lives?
A prayer-
Dear God,
Thank you so much for calling me to serve You. As I follow You, give me the courage, trust, and discernment I need. I pray for patience and a gentle spirit. Open my heart to the experiences and people in my life that are all part of Your plan. Continue to be my guide. Lord, teach me Your ways, mold me, and shape me. I want to be a blessing to others and a reflection of Your love.
In the name of Jesus I pray,
Amen
Peace of Christ,
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