THE REST OF THE STORY
DAY 85 While I am keeping up with my daily reading in Luke, I want to veer off for this blog to some passages in Genesis. I have the joy of leading some college girls in a weekly bible study and together we are working our way through the first book of the Bible - and this week, I was definitely the one who learned the lessons this week.
In Genesis, we have gotten to the point where Jacob, grandson of Abraham and son of Isaac, is running away from home. Perhaps sneaking away would be a better description. The young trickster had just fooled his father into giving him the special blessing that Isaac meant to bestow on his oldest son Esau. A family feud was definitely in the making so Mamma sends Jacob off to the kinfolk to let things cool down a bit. Jacob takes off on a road trip that will allow him to reside for a while with his Uncle Laban.
On the way, Jacob has an encounter with God. Through a dream, God passes the promises He made to Abraham on to Jacob. He promises to give him a special land; to increase his descendents like the dust of the earth; to bless all the people of the earth through his descendents, to watch over him wherever he goes, to bring him back to the land; and to not leave him until God had done all that He promised.
"When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it...How awesome is this place!" Genesis 28:16
Jacob had high-tailed it out of his homeland because of the stir he caused with his deceptions. It stands to reason, since he was in the wrong, that he assumed he was going it alone. But God surprised him and made His presence clear. Jacob was not alone, despite his reckless choices. So Jacob paused to worship and proclaim that if God could do all he promised, of course God would be his God.
Imagine, he ran away in terror but awoke with promises from God.
I bet he was full of anticipation about what lay ahead after having those guarantees of favor from God. Perhaps you know the rest of the story.
Jacob arrives at his uncle's. He falls in love with Laban's daughter Rachel. He agrees to work seven years for Laban to secure her as a bride. After seven years he is tricked into marrying Rachel's sister, Leah. He has to work another seven years to pay the dowry for Rachel, too. With two wives comes drama, drama, drama! Jealousy and sniping and some robust competition gives him two concubines and a passel of children. All the while, he worked hard for Laban who cheated him out of reasonable wages.
If I were Jacob, I would be wondering what happened to God's favor. Things were looking grim. His hopes of blessing and protection were probably fading fast. Maybe he wondered if God could deliver on all those promises. Surely one who was favored would not be at the mercy of such chaotic circumstances. If Jacob, looking at things as they were, chose that moment to decide if God was going to be his God, he might have said, "no thanks." After all, it wasn't looking likely that God could or would deliver on any of the promises He made.
Jacob, though, had only lived part of his story - the part where God allowed things to be taken from him, people to cheat him, and circumstances to go against him. The rest of the story was still to come - that's the part were God overrides the will of man and grants favor on whom He chooses. Through the women who were feuding, God gave Jacob 12 sons from whom his descendents would "spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south." In spite of the uncle who was cheating him out of livestock, God saw to it that "the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys."
Finally, the time came and at long last, "the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
God chose to have a personal relationship with Jacob. He promised to be with him and to favor him. If Jacob had chosen to evaluate those promises on the basis of what his circumstances were on any given day he would have despaired and lost faith that God meant what He said. There were days, certainly, he didn't feel favored. There were days he did not feel that God was still with him. There were days when it seemed like he would never get home again.
And then there came the days where God proves that it was God and God alone who was responsible for prospering Jacob. Laban could not take credit. Jacob could not take credit. His family could not take credit.
Perhaps God allowed Jacob to taste defeat at the hands of man so he would recognize victory at the hands of God.
Looking back at the difficult times, Jacob could have said again, "Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it...How awesome is this place!"
I NEEDED THIS LESSON ON THE VERY DAY GOD REVEALED IT.
In this season of life, God has made me an encourager for others. I chuckle at His unlikely choice of using me since I might have coined the phrase, "Suck it up and stop whining." I'm not exactly comforting. But God showed me a different kind of wisdom I would need. It's still a no whining zone around me, but there is so much more. God knew I would encounter someone who needed to hear what God was teaching me: that the real story is always found in the rest of the story.
Our son was about to need that wisdom. The very next day he called with the disappointing news that something he had dreamed and planned for was taken away. How could God be with Him if that happened? How could that be a sign of favor? He thought he was on the right path. He thought God wanted more for him. I was so thankful God had just showed me what his "favor" can look like in time for me to share it as an encouragement to my son.
To get Jacob where He could receive the greatest favor yet to come, God first allowed him to suffer loss. He let him experience disappointment and struggle. He allowed him to be cheated and mistreated. In the end, God used all of it to grow his faith, his character, and even his skills. Then, at the right time, the blessings flowed out in abundance just as God had promised. Looking back, I'm sure Jacob realized that ALL OF IT was part of God's favor, even the disappointments.
I believe with my whole heart the same is true for our son. The disappointments he is going through are part of God's favor. We may not see specifically how until we look back later, but in faith we can take God at His word that His favor is on those He loves, those who are called according to His purpose. Sometimes, that just has to be enough. It is enough for you? Will you also say....
Day 85 & 86 of 365 daily plan
Deuteronomy 7
Deuteronomy 8
Luke 7:36-50
Luke 8:1-3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1
Day 87 of 365
Deuteronomy 9
Deuteronomy 10
Luke 8:4-21
Psalm 69:19-36
Proverbs 12:2-3
On the way, Jacob has an encounter with God. Through a dream, God passes the promises He made to Abraham on to Jacob. He promises to give him a special land; to increase his descendents like the dust of the earth; to bless all the people of the earth through his descendents, to watch over him wherever he goes, to bring him back to the land; and to not leave him until God had done all that He promised.
"When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it...How awesome is this place!" Genesis 28:16
Jacob had high-tailed it out of his homeland because of the stir he caused with his deceptions. It stands to reason, since he was in the wrong, that he assumed he was going it alone. But God surprised him and made His presence clear. Jacob was not alone, despite his reckless choices. So Jacob paused to worship and proclaim that if God could do all he promised, of course God would be his God.
Imagine, he ran away in terror but awoke with promises from God.
I bet he was full of anticipation about what lay ahead after having those guarantees of favor from God. Perhaps you know the rest of the story.
Jacob arrives at his uncle's. He falls in love with Laban's daughter Rachel. He agrees to work seven years for Laban to secure her as a bride. After seven years he is tricked into marrying Rachel's sister, Leah. He has to work another seven years to pay the dowry for Rachel, too. With two wives comes drama, drama, drama! Jealousy and sniping and some robust competition gives him two concubines and a passel of children. All the while, he worked hard for Laban who cheated him out of reasonable wages.
If I were Jacob, I would be wondering what happened to God's favor. Things were looking grim. His hopes of blessing and protection were probably fading fast. Maybe he wondered if God could deliver on all those promises. Surely one who was favored would not be at the mercy of such chaotic circumstances. If Jacob, looking at things as they were, chose that moment to decide if God was going to be his God, he might have said, "no thanks." After all, it wasn't looking likely that God could or would deliver on any of the promises He made.
Jacob, though, had only lived part of his story - the part where God allowed things to be taken from him, people to cheat him, and circumstances to go against him. The rest of the story was still to come - that's the part were God overrides the will of man and grants favor on whom He chooses. Through the women who were feuding, God gave Jacob 12 sons from whom his descendents would "spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south." In spite of the uncle who was cheating him out of livestock, God saw to it that "the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys."
Finally, the time came and at long last, "the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
God chose to have a personal relationship with Jacob. He promised to be with him and to favor him. If Jacob had chosen to evaluate those promises on the basis of what his circumstances were on any given day he would have despaired and lost faith that God meant what He said. There were days, certainly, he didn't feel favored. There were days he did not feel that God was still with him. There were days when it seemed like he would never get home again.
And then there came the days where God proves that it was God and God alone who was responsible for prospering Jacob. Laban could not take credit. Jacob could not take credit. His family could not take credit.
Perhaps God allowed Jacob to taste defeat at the hands of man so he would recognize victory at the hands of God.
Looking back at the difficult times, Jacob could have said again, "Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it...How awesome is this place!"
I NEEDED THIS LESSON ON THE VERY DAY GOD REVEALED IT.
In this season of life, God has made me an encourager for others. I chuckle at His unlikely choice of using me since I might have coined the phrase, "Suck it up and stop whining." I'm not exactly comforting. But God showed me a different kind of wisdom I would need. It's still a no whining zone around me, but there is so much more. God knew I would encounter someone who needed to hear what God was teaching me: that the real story is always found in the rest of the story.
Our son was about to need that wisdom. The very next day he called with the disappointing news that something he had dreamed and planned for was taken away. How could God be with Him if that happened? How could that be a sign of favor? He thought he was on the right path. He thought God wanted more for him. I was so thankful God had just showed me what his "favor" can look like in time for me to share it as an encouragement to my son.
To get Jacob where He could receive the greatest favor yet to come, God first allowed him to suffer loss. He let him experience disappointment and struggle. He allowed him to be cheated and mistreated. In the end, God used all of it to grow his faith, his character, and even his skills. Then, at the right time, the blessings flowed out in abundance just as God had promised. Looking back, I'm sure Jacob realized that ALL OF IT was part of God's favor, even the disappointments.
I believe with my whole heart the same is true for our son. The disappointments he is going through are part of God's favor. We may not see specifically how until we look back later, but in faith we can take God at His word that His favor is on those He loves, those who are called according to His purpose. Sometimes, that just has to be enough. It is enough for you? Will you also say....
"Surely the Lord is in this place (even this place)
and I was not aware of it...
How awesome is this place!"
and I was not aware of it...
How awesome is this place!"
Day 85 & 86 of 365 daily plan
Deuteronomy 7
Deuteronomy 8
Luke 7:36-50
Luke 8:1-3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1
Day 87 of 365
Deuteronomy 9
Deuteronomy 10
Luke 8:4-21
Psalm 69:19-36
Proverbs 12:2-3
Comments
Post a Comment