Jacob, grandson of Abraham, son of Isaac and Rebecca, twin brother of Esau, husband of the sisters Rachel and Leah and father of the twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Wow! What a resume to submit for a teaching position at a Christian school.
…Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.
Genesis 25:23 (NIV)
This is my testimony, Jacob said as he stood feebly leaning on his walker with dim eyes and faced the crowded auditorium.
He started to speak with a trembling voice, A wicked and crafty person was I from birth. Holding on to the heel of Esau my twin brother hoping to slip pass him from the womb. Hated to be second-rated in life I made a deal with Esau, you sell me your birthright and you can have a bowl of my delicious soup. Yeap, that’s me, the young Jacob. A wheeler and dealer.
Even going to the extent of faking my brother Esau’s persona and physical appearance that my father, Isaac, give me Esau’s blessings. What a character! Sounds like a sinner to me. Persistent was I in my life journey to nowhere but downhill. But I met my match with Uncle Laban. It looks like the same DNA to me. Just how I tricked my father pretending to be Esau, well Uncle Laban tricked me on my marriage day. Gave me Leah, who I did not want to marry, instead of Racheal, the love of my life. Now who had a taste of their own medicine, I think it was me. No money no Rachael.
Uncle Laban said seven more years of hard labor will be fine for the price of Racheal. “What”! I said. Well, I guess I can work for seven more years for the love of my life and that’s what I did.
Ready to head out with the family, Uncle Laban says to stay a while longer because I noticed the Lord has blessed me because of you. Something was starting to happen inwardly with me, after all, it has been fourteen plus years and numerous visits from God. I see a man, like you and me, trying to please God but often falling short but God continued to assure me with these words from Genesis 28:15 “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” (NIV).
Jacob took a long breath and wiped the tears that welled up in his dim eyes, and continued, I had been in some dark places in my life and made some hideous and irrational choices. But had a determination of making things right or what I thought to be right. My persistence for life, people told me, was to be admired but I felt ashamed of my attitude toward God.
In all of my human flaws God continued to visit me; the dream of the ladder and the affirmation of salvation and the return of the Israelites back to their land, a struggle with God by the Jordon River I realized that my dependence on God was most essential to me at that time. So, I reached out and grabbed on to God and didn’t let go until He blessed me. I started to become aware of God’s presence and His love for me and was now grabbing for the right reasons. God was now taking a firm hold of me. I was coming to the place in my life where I hung up my dooks and stop kicking against the goads in my life.
Coming down to the latter part of my life upon the invitation from my son Joseph to come to Egypt, I decided not to leave Canaan before getting approval from God to go (Genesis 46:1-7). I didn’t want to be out of God’s will anymore, it hurts too bad. My change of heart toward God and His transforming power was evident by my family and friends, so they said.
This is what happens when you meet God and His grace and mercy. I was not deserving of any of God’s kindness and forgiveness of all the mess I caused and the hurt and pain toward my family. But God in His infinite mercy gave me another chance.
In this story of the history of my life, it shows that the all-wise God who knows best for you and me is a chaser of souls. Let me ask you a question right where you are today. Do you see yourself like me and is forcing God to track you down in the dry, thirsty, and parched places of your heart and mind in mistakes and wrong choices? Or are you one who experiences the presence of the Lord, when you do your devotions or read the Word of God or when you worship Him? Are you satisfied with just a dull Christian lifestyle and not the fullness of the Spirit and the gift of His power to live a life pleasing to Him?
Well, I encourage you if you need the Lord, talk to Him right now, and make that place your altar. When you are finished come on up where the saints are going, come on up where the blessings are flowing in Christ now.
It was as if Jacob was talking to me. Actually being truthful… Thank you Sandy how you brought Jacob across his lifetime.
Bryan