This year’s devotional book has readings from the Old Testament and the New. So far, there have been obvious connections between the three, but I don’t look for them. I read each passage and note the verses that seem significant, often without knowing why. When I’ve finished reading, God has been making connections for me as the Holy Spirit shows me what He has in mind.
Today they are not so obvious. In Genesis,
Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, has treated him unfairly, but Jacob trusts God,
and God helped during the years he worked for his wives and his wealth. God
then tells him to go home, taking his wives and children, and the cattle he
earned as wages.
“Laban had gone to shear his sheep,
and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. And Jacob tricked Laban the
Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.” (Genesis 31:19–20)
Jacob fears God, but apparently Rachel
does not share his piety. Her father’s household gods are powerless and useless,
but she either believes otherwise, or is angry at her father and steals them
out of spite. Either way, she sins by doing this, and sins again by concealing
them with another lie when he searches her tent looking for them.
Sometimes I expect the “heroes” of the Bible
to be pillars that I can look up to and imitate, but that is not a good idea.
Jacob and Rachel were sinners, as were Moses, Abraham, David, and any other
person in the Scriptures. The Bible says, “Surely there is not a righteous
man on earth who does good and never sins.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
Of course there is one, only one who
never sinned. The Bible says of Jesus . . .
“He committed no sin, neither was
deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)
“You know that he appeared in order to
take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” (1
John 3:5)
“Since then we have a great high priest who
has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our
confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
without sin.” (Hebrews 4:14–15)
While I can learn from those who grace
the pages of Scripture, much of what is there are lessons on how NOT to behave,
how not to live as a child of God. Jacob was not perfect, nor was his wife. I can
learn from Laban as his life demonstrates that treating others unfairly and
only considering myself will eventually lead to loss and sorrow.
I can also see from Jacob that listening
to God is a good idea, and that He might tell me to flee a place of misfortune
or danger for my own good. I’ve moved many times and not always seen it that
way, but the Lord has a view that I cannot see. He knows what is coming and if He
asks me to do what is difficult, He has good reason.
The last reading today is about just that;
listening to the sinless One, Jesus. I’m to do what He says and does. This
time, He is talking about the last days when life will become very dangerous
and His people will be asked to flee . . .
“So when you see the abomination of
desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the
reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let
the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and
let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for
women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!
Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:15–20)
Long ago, the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers
and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:3) This imperfect
man listened and was blessed. I’m humbled to know that God cares about His family
of sinners, me included. He guides me through life, even to urges me to move
when it is time to move (like He did the summer of 2012), and gives a precious
promise to be with me as I go.
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