Learning to Follow

 

 

READ Genesis 29-33

Jacob started out as a con-man, manipulating his brother out of his birthright, tricking his father to get the blessing that he intended for the older son, and planning how he could escape his brother’s revenge. He did some odd things on his journey to find a wife, and when he found her, and worked for her father for seven years to gain her in marriage, her father ironically tricked Jacob into taking her older sister as his wife. Then the older one had sons but the loved one was barren. The story does not include this man’s thoughts but he no doubt learned something about trickery and manipulation when it happened to him instead of him being the one who did it.

This lesson went on for a few years. Finally, Jacob made a deal with his father-in-law for his wages. He would get all the spotted and striped sheep and goats. What Jacob did then has always puzzled me, but that was because I didn’t read it carefully. His actions seemed like silly superstition, and maybe they were. He put striped and speckled pieces of wood where the strongest breeding animals would see them and the result was striped and speckled offspring with the father-in-law getting the weaker animals.

It seemed to work, but Jacob had grown in his faith and knew that this was not the reason his own herd increased. He said to his wives:

“I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.” (Genesis 31:4–9)

He knew that his ritual had nothing to do with the outcome; it was by the hand of God.

Later, upon leaving this place to go to his own kin, Jacob was able to trust God when his father-in-law chased after him. He stood his ground, reminding the older man of the unfairness of his actions. Then he said, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.” (Genesis 31:42) Jacob learned that faith insists on justice.

The next challenge was an encounter with his brother. Jacob planned what he should do, but he also prayed, reminding God of His promises:

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ” (Genesis 32:9–12)

The encounter went well, better than he could have imagined and “Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem.”

OBEDIENCE. This story illustrates the importance of going after what is important, but relying on the guidance and promises of God. It might mean hard work and involve difficulties and challenges, but when the Lord leads, I can safely follow; He will take care of me. Yesterday, my to-do list was long, but the Lord prodded me to phone someone because it was her 97^th birthday. I prayed about this, then called her and she was delighted. We chatted a long time, but it didn’t ruin anything and the chores were easily finished. As with Jacob, I know that one obedience can make the remaining challenges much easier than I could have imagined. God is with me, even in the small daily stuff, and He knows what is important and what needs to be accomplished so I will prosper and even the humbling thought that I can be a blessing to others.