Jan.11 - Genesis 31 -33

There's a lot to learn from these 3 interesting chapters!

Life isn't always easy...not even for God's chosen man! Life was tough for Jacob! Even though he was the privileged heir to the Abrahamic blessing and covenant, and even though he would be the ancestrial father to Jesus Christ, he had his tough and disappointing moments in life! Why is it that we Christians think life should be any easier than others? Jesus told his disciples that they would suffer persecution! Remember, we have an adversary (the Devil) who seeks nothing more than "to kill, steal, and destroy." He will and can manipulate things to hurt us...PLUS (as with Abraham) God often tests our faith. Those two things alone can make life a challenge!
- Jacob works 7 HARD years for the beautiful Rachel! They didn't seem that hard to him for such a gorgeous woman, but Laban deceived Jacob by having Leah sneak into the wedding bed instead of Rachel (due to a local custom of the older sister being married before the younger). Can you imagine how heart-broken Rachel must have been!!!!! She probably didn't sleep all night! And, at that moment, probably developed a hatrid for her sister.
- Jacob, under an agreement with Laban, gets Rachel one week later BUT MUST WORK ANOTHER 7 HARD YEARS! Jacob, who deceived his brother twice is now being deceived by his own uncle!
- At the end of 14 years, Jacob owns NOTHING! He shrewdly develops a plan. Since he has uniquely learned the reproductive habits of the sheep that he's caring for, Jacob develops a plot to leverage his uncle Laban's sheep as an opportunity to create his own wealth! Don't we see stuff like that happening today? Years ago, I heard of a salesman who worked several years for a guy in the lumber business only to manipulate his relationship with the owners' clients and eventually steal them away as he developed his own business in the same craft! It's one thing to come away clean. It's another thing to deceptively devise a plan to steal business away from the one who feeds you!
- Jacob probably thought he was brilliant in putting such a plan together. But, isn't it interesting how God steals the glory away from Jacob. Jacob didn't bless himself, God did!!! In Genesis 31:11-1, God assures him that in spite of his plan, it was actually God who manipulated the reproduction of the sheep and blessed Jacob with wealth! How many of us look back and say, "Look what I've earned through hard work?" "Look what I've been able to accomplish!" Boloney!!!!! The Bible says that "all god things come from above, from the Father of lights." God should get the glory! Remember what He said to Isaiah, "and my glory I will not give to another."

Have you ever worked out a desperate "deal" with God? Jacob did! He put conditions on God. He said in Genesis 28:20-22 - "I'll make you my God and give a tenth of my income to you IF:
1) You be with me and protect me!
2) You provide for me!
3) You bring me home safely!
God reminds him in Genesis 31:10-13 that since He met His end of the bargain and protected him and gave him wealth, it was now Jacob's turn to return the favor!
Have you ever made "a DEAL" with God? Have you ever said, "God, if you get me out of this mess, I'll...." or "God, if you'll only do this for me, I'll....." Did God do act upon your prayer? Are you holding up your end of the bargain????

Sin has a way of haunting us years later!!! After 20 years of being away from his homeland and his father, Isaac, Jacob is fed up with his uncle Labad and devises a plan to sneak back home. But in doing so, he must now come face-to-face with his older (and stronger) brother Esau - the one who he cruelly deceived twice and ran away in an attempt to save his life. Now, Jacob must face the consequences of his own sin!!! Fortunately, "time" healed all wounds! What consequences of sin are you facing today? Remember what Moses said in Numbers 32:23 - "Be sure your sins will find you out!" Sin done is secret may eventually play itself in the open later! Sin will haunt us...it's just a matter of time! Although God forgives us of our sin, it's often tough to unravel our own doing!!!!

I hope this blog has been a challenge and blessing to you! May God's goodness be yours today!