God's Ways Are Not Our Ways

Exodus 6:1-4 -  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord.   I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.  I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. 

Moses had asked God why.  Why had he sent him….why had his coming made the Hebrews lives even tougher…why he had not kept his word. He poured out his frustration and confusion on God in his prayer…perhaps with a bit too much judgement on God’s version of however Moses had imagined the job he gave him to do coming down.

So God answered him.  It wasn’t one of those short answers … God made sure he went back to the beginning of his relationship with the Hebrews. God simply stated the facts…I am God….I made  a promise…and I will keep it.  Then he told Moses to go and tell the same thing to the Israelite people.

It’s another reminder to me of how God’s ways are not our ways.  God knew that Pharaoh was not going to let his favorite slaves go easily…so he was going to use the stubborn spirit of Pharaoh to teach him just how mighty and powerful the God of the Hebrews was. Pharaoh wasn’t just going to let them go…he was going to drive them away in fear of what else God might do to him.

It’s hard to see the full picture of how God can use the tragedy or trial of a friend…family member…or even one’s self to bring about a picture of God’s glory when it happens.  But as time passes…the pieces start to fall together and God reveals a bit more of why he allowed certain things to happen.  Just like the release of the Hebrews from Egypt…which probably took about two months to complete… how long it took isn’t the point. It’s what we learn along the way. The Hebrews had lived so long in captivity …they needed the reminder of how strong God’s power was too.

Father…thank you for the reminder that your timetable does not always match my logic or imagination.  Forgive me for the times I get impatient like Moses and lose faith and trust in your final promise to give me a purposeful future that will help you build the kingdom of God on Earth.  Help me to be ever willing to wait as long as it takes to have the answers to my questions…even accepting the times that no answers are given. Amen.

Confidence Is Found In God

I don't usually stop and write devotionals in the middle of the day.  But the quiet of the mountain while watching Andrew play with his skateboard lured me into my phone keyboard and quicknote ap. The sun is shining bright. The view is amazing. I can't help but listen to the quiet whisper of God on this mountain top.

Andrew had no one to skate with today....so I went with him. I had never watched him skate...so I had no real excuse when he asked if I wanted to go. The few times I dared to watch  one of the videos he posted...I closed it thinking....oh my that sure looks dangerous.

I will admit that as we climbed the mountain in his car....my mother's heart got more and more anxious. As he walked up the short distance to the start of the run...I had to restrain myself from saying be careful! But as he fluently rolled...very fast I might add... I became very proud of how confident he was. His confidence makes me enjoy watching him...even if it does look dangerous. 

That's kinda how God works in our lives. We delay...procrastinate....and make excuses...but when we actually do something he tells us to do...and see how he makes it his ....it brings a confidence to our spirit that Satan can't handle. Proverbs 3:26 says...  "For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. We don't have to fear because God has us...no matter what. If we let him build us into what he needs us to be ...we can be courageous disciples like Paul...Jesus...Moses...and present day saints like Billy Graham and Charles Stanley. The sun is shining even brighter because God used this simple time with my son to me two lessons from his word today.

Father...thank you for the reminder that you are all I ever need in any situation.  Forgive me for the times that I let fear hold me back from being the confident servant you need me to be.  Show me how to live in your confdence more and more each day.  Amen.

Perseverance Through Prayer

Exodus 5:21-23 -  And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”  So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”

Moses had done exactly what God had instructed him. He asked…the Pharaoh said no…and then increased the labor required of his captives.  The people were all for Moses when they thought it would be a simple matter to release them….but now they were angry at him.  His presence did not help them as he promised…it made their lives much harder.

Perhaps Moses remembered God’s words that Pharaoh’s heart would be difficult to change….so he did not give up.  He took his frustration and confusion straight to the God that had sent him. He asked the hard question why.  He stated the facts of his confusion … and the trouble God had not warned him about.

It is a reminder to me that some jobs that God gives us to do are not simple or easy.  They require perseverance….faith….trust …and many sessions of prayer and Bible study to continue to press on.  As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13… we must continually… “ press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I have felt deeply since I moved here that God wanted me to organize a Celebrate Recovery Group at my home church. We have met many times…each meeting thinking and working out the issues that will keep it from being a successful ministry. It is okay that it is a long process…for God’s timeline is not always immediate. We will keep bathing it in prayer…until the staff of the church decides to move forward with a date for a leadership meeting. Then we will bathe it in even more prayer until God is ready to make it a program he can use to increase his kingdom …strengthening the ones that come to help them recover from a life hurt…hang up…or habit that has weakened their faith.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are always there…ready to hear our praises and our frustrations.  Forgive me for the times that I have vented my concerns to others before I have taken them to you. Help me to always remember to come to you with any concern or issue…so you can help me understand and persevere through any situation Amen.

God Knows Our Limits

Exodus 4:13-14 - But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

God was patient with Moses first 4 excuses …but the fifth brought anger.  God had reached his limit …his promise to send his brother Aaron to help him was his final directive. Moses saw that God was not going to change his mind and use someone else…so he went back to his father-in-law Jethro and asked to take his family back to Egypt.

It reminded me of some of the times my role as a mother required me to get angry before my children knew I meant business.  They would take their time and play and procrastinate as long as I would let them.  But when the angry voice came out…they knew momma wasn’t going to back down….they had better get to work or face the consequences.

In my heart…I knew exactly what it was going to take before they rose to follow my directions…but I gave them the benefit of the doubt…in hopes that I was wrong. Maybe they had finally grown up and would do it the first time. Since it was usually the third request for me.... the saying …third times the charm….was a great encouragement to me as a mom.

God knows exactly what we are thinking when he calls us to do something.  He knew exactly what Moses was going to use as an excuse…and he knew that seeing God’s anger would be the thing he needed to commit to God’s will for the next season of his life. God knew that Jonah would need to spend 3 days in the belly of a whale before he got it.  God knew that Thomas would need to see and touch his scars to believe.

I am so glad that God knows our every excuse and has a plan to put our hearts and mind in a commitment mode.  He will do whatever it takes to get us to commit to follow his will for our life.  Even if I mess up…God just throws backup plan number….well mine is probably in the thousands by now…into action to get us back on track. I am not sure I have reached God’s limit yet…I still mess up way too much. And he just lovingly picks me back up and steers me in the right direction again.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you know our very thoughts before we think them…and you love so very much that you keep chasing us with your will.  Forgive me for making you work so hard to keep my heart and mind focused on you.  Help me to listen and trust you when I hear you call me to do something for you.  Amen.

Team Up With God

Exodus 3:11-12 - But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Moses had spent 40 years in Midian with his father-in-law herding his flocks. This day…as he neared Mount Horeb…his eyes beheld a bush.  It seemed to burn from within but the fire never consumed the bush.  As he approached it…just to get a better look…he heard the voice of God come from within.  He told him to take off his shoes to stand on such holy ground.  He told him he had a job for him to do that involved going back home to Egypt.

Moses reaction to God’s call reminds me so much of myself. He thought he was unworthy…and questioned the very sense of God to pick him at all.  His doubts began a dialogue with God that quickly taught Moses that who he was really wasn’t the point.  It was who God could make him if they teamed up together.

Not a day goes by that I do not think about my failures and mistakes. They creep into my head and try to convince me that I have no abilities…no authority to be any use to God.  The thoughts would weaken my faith…. weaken my ability to do God’s work…if it weren’t for one thought that God planted when he called me. I am not doing anything on my own…I am in a partnership with Christ.  It is his strength inside me that keeps me from hitting the snooze button on days that I know I need to be up early to spend time with him.

There has never been a day that when I call on God to help me that he hasn’t shown up.  It may not have been in a burning bush…but if I sit still…and focus my mind on him…and what I have read out of his word…he whispers softly to my fingers exactly what he needs me to understand.  Throughout the day…even when I am not paying attention…he shows up with lesson after lesson….using the great world around me.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you called each of us to a certain task for you when we ask you to be our Lord. Forgive me for the many times that I have let my unworthiness trick me into thinking I don’t have any authority or power in this world.  Help me always to remember to call out your promise in Philippians 4:13….I CAN…do ALL things…with YOU...at my side. Amen.

It Might Be A Bad Idea

Exodus 2:13-14 - And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”  Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”  So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 

God had used the faith of a simple Hebrew family to save and raise his chosen servant Moses.  He was raised as a prince in the Pharaoh’s palace…but never forgot his roots.  One of his weaknesses was a great temper. He lost it so bad on one occasion that he killed an Egyptian taskmaster that was abusing one of his Hebrew brothers.

He thought no one had seen him.  He had looked around carefully before he acted so violently.  But there were eyes and ears he had not seen that spread the news quickly of what he had done.  And even though some may have thought it was a good thing…the two men he tried to counsel used his action against him. When the Pharaoh found out…Moses had to flee to Midian.

It is a reminder to me that what we do is watched carefully…especially if we proclaim to know and follow Christ. We are to be living examples of God’s love… what we do should reflect God at all times.  Yes…I agree that is a very hard calling.  Yes …I agree that it is wrong for others to throw our mistakes up in our faces.  Yes… I agree that God loves us no matter what.

The point isn’t how others don’t have the right to judge us.  The point is that God is our judge….and he sees everything we do. Wrong is wrong….and we will be judged for it when we stand in front of God in the end. Yes he will forgive us…but what if our wrong affects their chance to be saved….or causes a fellow Christian to stumble.   Mark 9:42 says… "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”  That tells me ….If I have to look around to see who’s looking at me…then what I am about to do is probably a bad idea.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you see all that we do….and think in our heart.  Forgive me for all the impure thoughts that my flesh can bring into my mind.  Wash them from my heart as soon as they appear to tempt and weaken my faith.  Help me to pray each day for discernment and guidance for all that I do …think… and say. Amen.

Harsh Times? Draw Closer to God!

Exodus 1:11-13 -   Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.  So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 

The Israelites prospered in Egypt…even after Joseph’s death. The 70 original Hebrews that traveled there to survive the famine had all passed away…but God had blessed their children so that they grew to an enormous number.  It made the new Pharaoh nervous…to have such a great nation beside him.  In his evil heart…he decided to enslave them and make them work for him.

His plan backfired…no matter how hard he made them work...they still prospered.  Even his plan to kill all the male babies was delayed….because the midwives feared God more than the evil Pharaoh.  God’s people….toughed out the harsh conditions and hit their knees…instead of giving up to their harsh living conditions…they somehow used the strength God had instilled in them to persevere.

It is a reminder to me that all of life… the good times and especially the hard times are allowed in our lives to help us grow. We coast by on the good times…sometimes forgetting how God blessed us to be there.  But in the tough times….God needs to be our strength… depending on him is how to get through it. The early church grew more in persecution than it did any other time in history.  People rally together to help each other in times of tragedy.

Father….thank you for the reminder that hard times can help us grow in our faith.  Forgive me for the times that I have failed to hit my knees and ask for your help. Show me how to use the hard times of life to draw even closer to you.  Amen.

Forgiveness...It's A Forever Thing

Genesis 50:18-21 -  Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”  Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.  Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

The death of Jacob brought new thoughts of repercussions of the wrong the brothers of Joseph had brought upon him. They began to doubt the forgiveness and mercy their brother had already shown to them…sending messengers with embellished words…supposedly from Jacob…to forgive them for what they had done to him.  The fear gripped them so hard that they offered themselves as servants of Joseph.

Joseph simply told them not to be afraid…that he was not God.  He repeated his words from before that God had taken the evil deed they had meant for harm and used it to protect and care for all of them in a time of famine.  He vowed to care for them and their children and comforted them.  His forgiveness was a forever thing…not a momentary thought.

I am guilty of asking for forgiveness…and then allowing satan to use my thoughts of failure to rekindle my guilt.   Satan wants to weaken our faith…to get us to stay locked in the past…so God can’t use the lessons of character from our mistake to make us stronger. If satan can keep us thinking about all the mistakes we made…God has a harder time using those mistakes to bring about the good he wants to come from them.

What a great reminder that forgiveness should be forever.  Jesus put no time restraints on the mercy he gives us when we ask him to come into our heart. We should put no time restraints on the forgiveness and mercy we show to others that have hurt us. We should put no stipulations on the forgiveness we show to ourselves.

Father…thank you for the reminder that forgiveness is a forever thing.  Forgive me for the times that I have turned things over to you …only to take them back as time and events tricked me into thinking I never turned them over at all.  Help me to feel the permanence of your mercy and love…so that the forgiveness you give me feeds my faith with new energy and passion.  Help me to be more like Joseph…and forgive completely….forever.  Amen.

God Loves Us No Matter What

Genesis 49:  1-2 and 28    - And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:   “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob,
And listen to Israel your father.

…  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

Jacob called his sons to his side before he died to speak blessings and prophecy over them. He did not mince words….recalling the actions of each that had strengthened or weakened their faith…then speaking what the spirit of God had given him to say about their future. The words were truthful … reminding each how their actions would affect the rest of their lives.

I love the way Jacob loved his sons despite the scars sin had left on their lives.  He blessed each one…..according to what the spirit told him to say. He called all of them to him and spoke over each and every one. He knew that some of them had messed up…but he loved them anyway.

It is a reminder to me that Jesus loves us despite the sin that we let creep into our lives.  He speaks those hard words that convict us of our sins….and blesses us despite the fact that we don’t deserve them.  He calls each of us to him every moment of every day…and breathes a clean new spirit into the life that we damaged with our sin.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you love us no matter what.  Forgive me for the times that I forget the cost of my salvation…thank you for loving me even though I deserve death. Amen.

God's Ways Are Not Always Our Ways

Genesis 48:17-19 -  Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.  And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”  But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”

Joseph had taken his sons to see their grandfather before he died.   He knew that Jacob would bless them while they were there…so he placed the older one closest to the hand he knew was meant for the richer blessing…for Jacob’s eyes were not working well either.  But Jacob switched his hands as he blessed them…giving the youngest one the richer blessing.  Joseph protested…correcting his father.  But Jacob told him that this was the correct thing to do. So Joseph had to accept his father’s dying wishes…even though he did not understand the reason.

And so it is with our father God sometimes.  We can try to manipulate the things around us to work the way we think they should be...but God sometimes has other plans.  God doesn’t work with a set of rules that dictates how things are done.  God used his servant Jacob….full of God’s spirit at his death…to let Joseph know that the younger son would be greater….continuing the promise of God to Abraham.

It was the spirit of truth that John speaks of in John 16:13 that helped Jacob know exactly what to do.  It says… “When the spirit of truth comes…it will guide you into all truth….for he will not speak on his own authority…but whatever he hears he will speak…and he will declare to you the things that are to come. Joseph must have sensed it too…for he did not argue with his father…he simply accepted what he said.

I admit that I do not take enough time to check my actions and words with God many times before I act. I let the circumstances before me dictate the way that I feel and the choices I make most of the time. I needed the reminder that God doesn’t always work the way we think he will…but God always works things for the best good of those who love him. I need to stop more often to ask him what to do…and how to do it.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you work in ways we do not always think are the best.  Forgive me for the times that I have tried to manipulate things into what I want….without asking what you want first.  Help me to discern your will in all things that I do…and accept it as good…even if it seems wrong to me at the moment. Amen.

Blessings Come In All Types Of Packages

Genesis 47:9-10 -  And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”  So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

Joseph had taken his father to meet the Pharaoh…and to request land for them to live on and keep the large flocks they brought with them. Pharaoh was generous to Joseph’s family….allowing them to settle and live in the choicest of the Egyptian land of Goshen. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh before they left to go home.

Blessings were a big deal in Jacob’s family.  It wasn’t just a saying with no meaning…Jacob intended for God to truly make the Pharaoh’s life full and favored. It was a verbal prayer that had the power of God to bestow good things …success…the full favor of God on all they did.

Blessings sometimes come in a pretty package …or beautiful home …or an abundance of money…but blessings can also come disguised as something we first see as sad or unwanted.  Joseph probably saw no blessings in being sold into slavery…until God had completed his full plan and arranged for him to be in charge of all the grain during the famine. Jacob probably saw the negative aspects of moving to Egypt…but God reassured him that this was the right thing to do at the time.

I am coming to understand the concept of blessings that seem negative at the onset. The loss of my second husband was by far the hardest…most tragic thing that has happened in my life to date.  But as time separates my heart from the initial blow of losing his love…I can see pieces of God’s plan to bless my life through the tragedy.

One of my favorite songs is Laura Story’s Blessings…it helps to remind me that God uses every moment of our lives to help us draw closer to him. She placed in my heart a mind blowing question…What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise? Jesus death on the cross…a seemingly horrible death…produced mercy for all who believe.  No greater love was exposed that day that he gave his life.

Father…thank you for the reminder that your blessings come in packages that we don’t always recognize as good. Forgive me for the times that I pass by the packages that I don’t think look good to me…or forget to thank you for the storms of life that bring me to know you on a deeper level.  Amen.

https://youtu.be/PmcKWvOQZqY

God Can Calm Every Fear

Genesis 46:1-4 - So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.  Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”  And he said, “Here I am.   So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.  I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”

Jacob started out on his trip…but when he reached Beersheba he was moved to stop and offer sacrifices to God. As he slept that night…God appeared to him in a vision and told him to put away all the doubts and fears he had in his heart. God told him it was good for him to go…and that Joseph would be the one to close his eyes at his last breath.

I have found myself in Jacob’s fear filled shoes many times.  And even though God hasn’t always appeared in a vision and called my name…he has given me the same sweet peace and calmed each and every fear.  All it takes is a move to place them at Jesus feet…a time of prayer and surrender that we offer our fears to him. 

I am glad that Jesus made it easier to approach and worship him.  We no longer have to offer sacrifices the way Jacob did. We only have to whisper his name in prayer and offer up our concerns. He speaks to us though his word…through our Christian friends and family…and sometimes still through visions  and prophecies. 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are always there to calm and give us peace for anything that threatens our heart in fear.  Forgive me for the times that I have let fear grip my heart too strongly… letting the fear numb me and delay my turning them over to you. Help me to always think ahead like Jacob…and offer up my fears to you in prayer and worship…so you can give me your peace that passes all understanding. Amen. 

Let God Lift Your Countenance

Genesis 45:26-28 -   And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.  But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.  Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Jacob had lived many years thinking his son Joseph was dead. It seemed so surreal to him to even entertain the thought that he could be alive…yet alone governor of things in Egypt. He had resigned himself to the worst…even adding to his sadness the possibility of losing Simon and Benjamin as well. It took the sight of the Egyptian carts filled with provisions and gifts to convince Jacob that their words were true. His spirit revived….his heart felt peace…he was ready to go and see him before he died.  

Anyone who has lost loved ones understands the deep sorrow of Jacob.  It is easy to let the sorrow in your heart take over your countenance.  You enter a world of existence where the pity party rules…you feel entitled to play the bereavement card as much as you can. Jacob had reached that point... his spirit to live had disappeared. He even doubted the words of the brothers could possibly be true. But the carts Joseph sent were Jacob’s turning point.  He believed…and even found purpose in the thought of seeing his son Joseph one last time before he died.

I admit that I am like Jacob…I need the visual to really believe that something is real. Like Thomas…I need God to give me something I can touch and see to help me believe that what he has asked me to do is real before I find the courage and strength to do it.  I watch for the pieces of the puzzle to start fitting together to confirm the mission he sent me to do.

His turn around is a reminder to me to not let discouragement win the battle when it comes to doing what God has sent me to do. So many times those puzzle pieces take way longer than I think they should to fit together. I am so thankful that God sends a cart of provisions for me … to help sustain me while I wait on his timing.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have all I need to sustain me.  I CAN do all things through Christ …who STRENGTHENS me. Forgive me for the times that I have let discouragement win the daily…and even longer battles.  Help me to listen and watch for the carts of provisions you send to lift my countenance back to you. Amen.

Repentance...A Powerful Tool To Make Us Strong And Courageous

Genesis 44:32-34 -  Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’ “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”

Joseph had placed his silver cup in the mouth of Benjamin’s sack as another test of his brother’s change of heart. Judah... who had taken a stand for Joseph’s life in the beginning…takes a stand for Benjamin’s now. He stood true to his vow to his father and requested to take Benjamins place.

This moment of surrender and substitution marks the point in these brother’s lives when Joseph stops testing their motives. They could have all run back home and left Benjamin to the mercies of Joseph…but they did not.  They tore their clothes and returned with him…and Judah steps up as the leader he always was….and offers to take his younger brother’s life.

Repentance is a powerful force that gives us new courage to do things we never imagined having the strength to do. It gave Judah the courage and strength he needed to step out in faith and fulfill the vow he had made to his father.  Judah had no idea that it had all been a test…in his mind this was a forever statement…his life for his brother’s.

It is a reminder to me that daily confession of our sins helps to keep our faith strong and full. Sin of any kind begins to build up in our heart and turn it cold and unmerciful. This step in Judah’s life I am sure began to help him find the courage he would need later to confess the full story to his father.

Holding those sins inside builds wall between us and God. The more sin we try to hide…the stronger the wall is. It results in an inefficiency of all God has placed inside us to do the work he called us to do.  It delays the good that God is trying to accomplish through our lives.  

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to confess my sins daily. Forgive me for the times that I have delayed the confession of any sin that I have realized might be separating me from your power and love. Instill in me a desire to always stand firm to the truth…even if I know the consequences will be hard to bear.  Amen.

Pray For Discernment...And Learn To Use It Wisely

Genesis 43:33-34 -  The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment.  When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

The family of Jacob used up all the grain they had bought…but the famine continued. Jacob told them to go buy some more… in his words “a little more.” It took the persuasive powers and determination of Judah to convince Jacob that Benjamin had to go with them. After going through denial and blaming… Jacob finally relented…sending them not just with Benjamin…but gifts of spices… honey…. Balm… and nuts from the land where they lived.

Joseph welcomed them…released Simon…and prepared a feast for them at his house. His inquiries about his father’s health and seeing his blood brother again brought those healing tears back to him….so much that he had to excuse himself for them to flow until he could bring them under control.

Joseph was struggling with just how to proceed.  His emotions tried to convince him that he needed to reveal himself…to embrace them and let them know that he was not just okay…but had become just what God had prophesied in his dreams as a boy.  But Joseph held back…and decided to test them one more time…to see if their hearts had truly changed over the years.

I always thought that Benjamin received more because he was Joseph’s full brother by the same mother. But reading Matthew Henry’s commentary introduced a more Godly reason. Joseph’s brothers had admitted their wrong doing… but he was not sure that they would make better choices when faced with similar circumstances the next time. Joseph purposely placed 5 times as much food in front of Benjamin…perhaps to see if jealously was still making decisions for them. (And it won’t be the last test he gives them before revealing himself…I peeked at chapter 44.)

There are times when the spirit tells you do something…so you just do it…without thinking of logic or reasons why God asked. But there are other times that God expects you to use your faith in him and ask for wisdom to help you discern what to do. That may include a bit of questioning and testing…especially if those people have hurt you in the past. 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you can give us a spirit of discernment when we have to make important decisions that involve people.  Forgive me for the times that I have trusted too much without questioning….or trusted too little for lack of faith in you.  Give me the spirit of discernment that Joseph had… to fully test and question the things I need too before making important decisions.  Amen.

Open The Door To Healing...Learn To Forgive

Genesis 42:21 -24 -   They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.  He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.

Joseph had been hurt badly…and paid a high price for his pain.  He had been thrown into a pit…bound and sold into slavery…accused wrongly of rape…and spent years in prison that he did not deserve. He recognized the brothers who hurt him as soon as they appeared in his line to buy grain…and spoke roughly to them through an interpreter.

Perhaps Joseph had more than binding his brother Simon in jail for a time in mind when he overheard them talking and confessing the horrible thing they had done to him…he was even overcome with emotion and wept. We are not told what Joseph is thinking…but he surely had forgiven them because he sent them on their way….returning the money they paid for the grain inside each of the sacks that had been loaded for their journey…without revealing himself to them.

Joseph’s reaction to his brothers reminds me that healing comes in stages.  We open the door to healing when we offer forgiveness in our heart…but the hurt does not go away just because we forgave.  Even though the confession was not face to face with Joseph….it touched him that the brothers realized how wrong they had been.

I know I am healing when my emotions well up in tears. Tears are God’s way of emptying our hurts so he can begin to fill us up with the things we will need to move forward from the pain they may have caused.  Hearing someone tell us they are sorry for hurting us should prompt us to return the confession and apology with the mercy God showed us when he forgave us of our sins.

Father…thank you for the reminder that forgiveness is the beginning of a healing process.  Thank you for forgiving me and showing mercy to this sinner.  Forgive me even as I thank you… for any sin I have failed to confess before you.  Continue to let tears of healing purge from me any hurts that hold me back from moving forward to where you need me to be.  Amen.

Watch And Listen For God's Reminders To Stay Humble

Genesis 41:8-9 - In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings.

The exact time came when God had ordained for Joseph to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream…and use the wisdom God had given him to suggest to him the best solution to the 7 years of famine that would surely come. The powerful leader wasted no time elevating Joseph to a leadership position so he could begin to implement the wise plan God had given him.

The words of the cupbearer played strongly in my heart. He felt convicted of the times he had fallen short of his potential…and God used one of those memories….of his days in prison… to bring about his plan to not just release Joseph from prison…but elevate Joseph to a great position to model God’s power even more.

I can’t recall a time in my life when God has not used my shortcomings to remind me of his power to overcome the mistakes that I seem to make when I let my heart and brain go into autopilot mode. Just this week he reminded me of the importance of the exact words we use when describing things. Sitting in the hospital visiting with dad and two of my sisters…my autopilot spewed out that I had ‘made’ mom go home to eat and rest. God quickly used my sweet sisters to remind me that I had done nothing…that mom hadn’t chosen to do on her own.

It is a reminder to me to try and let God keep my heart and mind off of autopilot to prevent such prideful remarks.  I never want God to stop ‘reminding me of my shortcomings.’ I am so thankful that he uses these kind of moments to humble me from becoming too proud and selfish.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you need to be a part of everything we think…say and do.  Forgive me for the times that I have let myself go into autopilot mode.  Help me to always be watching and listening for the reminders you send me when I need to focus more on you.  Amen.

Wait On God's Timing...AND...Think Of Others More Highly Than You Do Yourself

Genesis 40:14 and 23

But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.

....The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Joseph found favor everywhere he was placed. Even in prison the commander believed in his innocence and integrity. He placed him charge of other prisoners....including a baker and cupbearer who had dreamed disturbing dreams and had become discouraged for lack of an interpretation.

Joseph was concerned about their countenance when he saw them that morning. And when he found out the reason for their sadness...he made sure that these men knew where his information came from ....and then interpreted their dreams.

Joseph was so like me when he asked the cupbearer to remember him when he was restored. Even though he was respected and elevated to a prison guard...he still had an internal struggle with himself about why he was there in the first place.
The cupbearer was so like me too. He got caught up in the excitement of being released and forgot all about Joseph's request.

Joseph offers me a reminder that God's timing is not always what we think it should be. God needed him in prison for a bit longer....or God was waiting for the opportunity arise for Joseph to impress the Pharaoh with God's power to interpret dreams.

The cupbearer reminds me not to be selfish...and always pay forward the kind acts of others towards us. Amos 6:6 offers a rebuke of this cupbearer who was a bit selfish in his celebration..."You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. I do believe that even if the cupbearer had remembered Joseph that very day...God would have delayed his release until he could use him to show God's power to the king. I also believe that we are not to use that as an excuse.

Father...thank you for the reminder that I need to wait on your timing...and think of others more highly than I do myself. Forgive me for the times that I have acted out of frustration or selfishness. Help me to trust in you completely. Amen.

Let Others See Jesus In You

Genesis 39:2-4 -The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.  When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,  Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.

Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers. The thing they meant for harm…God turned into a blessing for Joseph and the man who bought him. Despite the horrible things Joseph had endured to this point in his life…he held tight to his faith.  It showed in everything he did…and everyone around him knew where his great blessing came from.

It is a great reminder to me that living a life for God is one of the strongest testimonies we possess. The more people see God in our daily activities and comments about life…the more they are prone to want God in their life too.

It is also a reminder to me that people are also turned away from God when they observe me leaving God out of my life. I am accountable for all the negative things I say. Everyone around me…not just unsaved…. see and hear everything that I am.  I am a model…negative or positive.

I am guilty of being a negative Nellie more than I model the positive faith that Joseph did.  I needed this word today …to help me reflect and ponder a bit more on what I can say or do that always gives God glory and praise ..even when it seems like a bad thing to me.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am to model the faith of Joseph to those around me … so they can see God in all that happens in my life.  Forgive me for the times that I have let a moment of disappointment…deep sorrow or pain to model bitterness or anger.  Show me how to keep my faith strong…so others can see the father’s love and blessing on the things that I say and do.  Amen.

Repentance...The Key To Obtaining Righteousness

Genesis 38: 24-26 -  About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”  As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.” Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.

The story of Joseph is interrupted for a quick side note about the continuation of the messianic line through Judah. The short version is that he allowed his flesh to get the best of him after his wife died and fell to temptation.  He did not realize he had actually slept with his daughter-in-law Tamar. She presented herself that way to trick him…for he had broken his promise to her to give her in marriage to his youngest son…as was the custom when brothers died and left a widow.

We could discuss the horror and dysfunction of this family.  Tamar’s first husband died because he was so wicked.  His brother died because he spilled his seed on the ground instead of allowing Tamar the child she deserved to carry on the family line. Tamar’s sin was great….tricking her father-in-law out of bitterness and spite to get what she wanted. Jacob was seeking comfort and release from prostitutes.  They were definitely no model of how to live a righteous life.

But my spirit felt a twinge of that good old grace and mercy that only God can give when Judah poured out his confession and released Tamar from the death he had requested. God even used this family in their repented state to carry on the line of David that would eventually produce our savior Jesus Christ through her son Perez.

I loved this quote from gotquestions.org.  It said…. “God’s purposes are accomplished despite our unrighteousness.” Just read the 11^th chapter of Hebrews and you will see example after example of sinners that God convicted and turned faithful.

It is a great reminder to me to not point fingers at the sin I see in others.  Someone once said…that when I do that there are 4 other fingers pointing at myself. Jesus was the only one who had a right to throw any stones…and he chose to drop his in favor of mercy and grace.

Father…thank you for your perfect son who died on a cross to give me salvation…the gift of mercy…and the grace that allows me to ask forgiveness for my sins. Forgive me for the times that I have forgotten how you forgave me…and judged others.  Help me to always see that others sin in no different than mine.  Help me to always see sin as Judah did and confess it as soon as you bring it to conviction. Amen.

Be Ready to Let God Use You

Genesis 37:21- 22  and 26  -   When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.  “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

….. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 

The history of Jacob begins with the story of his favorite son Joseph. His love for the boy caused much dysfunction in his family… and to makes things worse…Joseph did not try to hide the dreams he had of how he might become the leader of the whole family. As soon as the opportunity arose to do away with Joseph...they plotted to kill him…but two brave brothers helped stop a premediated murder and Joseph was sold him into slavery instead.

Joseph’s story is well known ….his coat of many colors tops most Sunday school curriculums. His life story of struggle to success has been used to motivate many a broken …struggling Christian to not give up. But my spirit was also touched by these two brothers…that were used of God to channel Joseph exactly where he would need to go to begin the lengthy training to make him the leader that he finally became.

It is a reminder to me that God knows exactly what we need and when we need it.  God will use the people closest to us…and a perhaps a few strangers to weld a scenario that puts us exactly where we need to be. If we are the Joseph in this story…we need to trust God that even bad things can turn out good in the end.  But more importantly…if we are the two brothers that pleaded for his life…we need to be ready to act when God needs to use us.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am your servant.  Forgive me for the time that I am not listening to the small still voice you send to make me a Rueben or a Judah. Help me to discern all the times that you need to use me to channel other servants to the places you need them to be.  Amen.

How many Esau's Do You Know?

Genesis 36:6-7 -  Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob.   Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.

Esau took the wives he had taken from the land of Canaan and all his possessions and moved to Seir. He and his brother had acquired so much that the land could not support their livestock if they had stayed together.  The rest of this chapter is a full genealogy of Esau’s descendants. It shows how his family became the Edomites…Horites and other nations of Seir.

It is a reminder to me that our decisions sometimes have permanent consequences. Esua made some choices in life that could not be reversed…even God chose not to change them.  God kept his promise to Isaac…and allowed great nations to rise from Esau’s children…but none of those children ever knew and followed God’s ways.

Esau never allowed God to be a part of his life.  He chose a life with pagan wives that gave him material wealth…but that wealth would crumble to the hands of his brothers’ children when God gave the Israelites the land of Canaan.

I can’t imagine how it would be to live an entire life without the love of God in my life. And that thought helps to drive a deep passion to share his love as much as possible with others. There are still many Esau’s in this world…that have chosen to live a life without God. Their life will not end well…even if they have built around them huge material collections of earthly things.

Father…thank you for the reminder that my choices sometimes have permanent consequences. I thank you for the mercy and grace that has used many of my bad choices and turned them into something that you can use to spread your love. Help me to be a light to the Esau’s of the world that have chosen to live a life without you. Give me the perfect words and deeds to show them the plan of salvation that will change their lives into something you can use too.  Amen.

Is God In COMPLETE Control?

Genesis 35:1-2 -  Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”  So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.

Jacob had chosen his own place to live when he returned from Padan Aram.  The influence of the pagan people he settled next to infiltrated his family until God could allow it no more.  His daughter had been raped…his sons had become vigilantes…and pagan idols had made their way into the houses of his family.

Jacob knew as soon as he heard God’s voice that he had strayed from the deep faith he once had.  His experience wrestling God had worn away…and life went on without God in his daily routine. Perhaps he had become too comfortable with his wealth…and felt he did not need God anymore.  Perhaps he just forgot how full life was when he was in a daily relationship with God.  Perhaps the wear and tear of raising a large family just cut into his time with God.

It is a reminder to me that God allows situations in our lives to remind us that He is the most important thing in our lives.  We can become too settled in our way when life serves up good things…and we easily become so beat up from the bad things that happen that all we want to do is crawl in a hole and hide. If we are simply riding our blessings….or constantly struggling in deep waters…we fail to see the idols and attitudes creep into our heart that block us from hearing God’ will for our lives.

I recently had my own reminder that all things are not as they seem… when I realized my new retired insurance had a few details I wasn’t aware of.  If I had just spent the time to read my policy more carefully I would have learned about the practice of in-network and out-of-network doctors and labs before I had built up a large bill. In my excitement over the pure blessing of retirement…I failed to study and understand the details of my health insurance. It is an expensive mistake that will eat into my emergency fund… but I can be very thankful that I have the money put away to pay it.  It will delay my plans to buy a plane ticket to see the sweet grandchild that lives in California for a while… but I will eventually earn the ticket money back again…hopefully in time for his birthday in May.

I hit the snooze a little too many times this morning.  I sat down at the computer with the few minutes I had and tried to write...but nothing came.  I needed the sermon on using the Holy Spirit to help remind me that I had become a little too much like Jacob… my happiness from retirement making me a little too naive about the other elements I needed to be in control of to make wise decisions about my health needs.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to stay focused on you in all that I do.  Forgive me for the times that I let life distract me …the blessings and the disasters … from hearing you tell me exactly what to do. Forgive me for the times that I have let the blessings you have allowed in my life to cause me to coast where I am in my faith…ultimately losing ground and becoming less effective with the resources you have given to me.  Amen.

Overcome Evil With Good

Genesis 34:30 – 31 - Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.”  But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

Dinah had been taken by Shechem…the son of a man in a nearby town. He laid with her….claiming love for her…and then asked to have her for his wife. Instead of just saying no….and asking God how to deal with the horrible plight of their sister…they devised a plan. They required Shechem and the whole town of men to become like them…and be circumcised….knowing all along they were going to take advantage of them in three days while they were still in pain. They killed all the town’s men…plundered the town…and took all their wives and children as their own.

Jacob was upset with his sons. He worried about the neighboring towns attacking them while they were small in number. But the sons held fast to what they had done….claiming vengeance for their sister’s violation. A bigger problem was created that Jacob did not even see. They did not think about the consequences of their actions…how bringing the plunder of idols and women and children with other beliefs would affect their faith in God.

Simply stated ….more than one place in the Bible….vengeance is only for the Lord. We are never to take a situation of wrong doing into our own hands. Just read Deuteronomy 32:35…or Matthew 5:38-45…or Romans 12:17-21. Or think about how Samson’s desire to seek vengeance was the beginning of his end.

I admit that is very hard to let wrongs just go….and not react to them. Our heart wants justice…even thinks it has to have it to heal from the hurt. We can’t bear to see the ones we love suffer and really have a hard time accepting the pain when it happens to us.

Romans 12:17-21 states it the plainest for me.  It says… “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.   On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I will say too that these directions on how to treat those that hurt us are REALLY hard to do. But if we believe in what the Bible says….we must try to carry out even these seemingly hard things to do.  Jesus did it…and we are supposed to try too.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are the only one who has the right to bring justice in times of wrong.  Forgive me for the times that I have tried to pay back the hurts done to me with more hurt…modeling the opposite of what you are about to others.  Help me to internalize and use the love you gave me to control my fleshly desire to right wrongs …so I can let hurts go so you can deal with them in your own time.  Amen.

Everything Happens For The Good Of Those That Love The Lord

Genesis 33:11 and 16-17  -  Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

… So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.

Jacob could finally relax when Esau meets him with a warm embrace. He had forgiven his brother and did not even want to take the huge present of flocks that Jacob offered to him. But Jacob insisted… sharing the story of what had happened to him in Paddan Haram….and what he had learned about mercy.  They made plans to meet back in Seir …but Jacob never went there…he traveled west instead and bought land near Shechem to settle in.

It is a sad end to the story of these brothers to me. Esau did his part making an effort to forgive his brother…but they never took the next step to repair the damage that had been done.  It seems on the surface that it was easier for Jacob to go his own way….comfortable that his brother was not out to kill him anymore.  But perhaps it is a reminder to me that all the damage we do with the mistakes we make in relationships cannot be repaired completely.  I am simply not sure.

I am unsettled with this knowledge. God had told Jacob to go back to the land of his fathers and relatives. God promised to be with him. Did he still have a problem with faith? My usually method of research did not turn up a map that shows me just how far he settled away from his brother. Was Seir…where Esau settled…not in the land of his father either?  Did Jacob have other relatives toward Succoth?

I guess it goes to show that some answers are just not spelled out in detail in the Bible…and some days we just don’t get a definite answer or wisdom to act on. I welcome your comments on this piece…since I seem to have left so many questions unanswered. I will keep praying for understanding…because I know God will send it when he knows I need it.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you use everything that happens for the good of those that love You. Forgive me for the times that I let my mind get focused on trying to understand every single piece of the puzzle…and getting impatient when the pieces don’t fit exactly like I think they should.  Teach me how to keep praying for understanding and stand strong in faith till you work the puzzle completely.  Amen.

Replace Fear With A Talk With God

Genesis 32:6-8 -   When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”  In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.  He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.”

Jacob let fear get the best of him as he neared his father’s land.  He had sent messengers ahead to let his brother know he was coming…but the knowledge of what he had done in the past had him thinking the worst. His brother was coming to meet him…but the fact that he brought 400 men with him must mean he wanted to fight.

Jacob was so scared that he divided his belongings and sent them opposite directions.  Then he took his wives and children and sent them across the river…while he camped on the other side in front of them. A man appeared…an angel of God…who wretched his hip socket trying to get Jacob to let him go.  Jacob would not let go until the angel blessed him.

Jacob had to finally deal with the wrong that he had done to his brother. God had already forgiven him….even taught him a life lesson about lying and taking advantage. If he had stopped to ask God before he went to sleep that night what to do…I bet God would have told him that Esau had also forgiven him and was excited to see him.   But lost in his fear...his restless sleep produced a ‘Jacob’ plan…a way to protect his family and at least ½ of what God had blessed him with.

Jacob needed a more intense ‘God’ moment than the one he had on his way to find a wife. He had already forgotten God’s promise to make a great nation out of his sons. He had already forgotten that God was there to help him as he had promised. Fear froze his heart as well as his mind. It took an all-night session with an angel…and a hip that would never work correctly again to teach him that God is always there…no matter what.

It is a great reminder to me to let my first response to fear be a talk with God. I can’t always control my circumstances…but going to him first thing shows that I trust him to work everything out for the good…because I love him. He promised to never leave me….but that doesn’t mean I might not find myself in prison…or the belly of a whale…or on a cross. Jonah might have been on the run…but Paul and Jesus were doing exactly what God had told them to do.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you work all things for the good of those that love you.  Forgive me for the times that forget your promises to me…and try to make a ‘Barbara’ plan that actually takes me further from your will than you had planned. Bless me with mercy the way you did Jacob….even if it means a physical reminder of pain to help me never forget you are there …no matter what. Amen.

No Back Up Plan Needed

Genesis 31:29-30 -  I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’  Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father’s household. But why did you steal my gods?”

Jacob had fled from Paddam Aram without telling his father-in-law. God had blessed him so much that the sons of Laban felt Jacob had taken advantage of their father. Rachel and Leah both agreed that it was a good idea to leave…but Rachel took the household gods with her… outright stealing them from her father.

Laban knew that Jacob’s success was because of the Lord Yahweh.  So he was very confused why Jacob would need his household gods. He pursued them when he discovered them gone…but Rachel hid her theft well…lying about her womanly condition while her father searched her tent….and we are never told why she took them in the first place.

It’s hard to imagine that Rachel would not trust God as her only resource by now…so perhaps the theft was a last effort on her part to hurt the father that had mistreated her husband for twenty years. She might have also thought he would use them as a tool to find where they had gone. One other theory is that she took them as a sort of deed to her father’s property. No matter the reason she took them …her partial trust of God…pushed her mind to create back up plan if God did not come through.

Rachel’s plan did not affect her father finding her family…it just confused her father. Laban watched Jacob depend on God...he knew that all of Jacob’s success was because of the God he believed in.  He was only confused why Jacob would need his gods too.   She did not need this back up plan…God already took care of any danger they might have been in by appearing to him in a dream.

We simply don’t need any back up plans.  Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the plans he has for us…they are good...they will prosper us….and never harm us. No matter how bad it seems on the surface…God has plans to use it to give us hope for our future. Psalm 46:10 doesn’t say…take whatever action you think is best when you feel overwhelmed…it says….BE STILL…and know that I am God.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have a future planned for us…and you don’t need any help from our finite minds figuring out how to get there.  Forgive me for the times that I take action instead of sit still and listen for your plan. Help me to learn to stop and listen to your voice when things around me seem to be overwhelming my spirit. Amen.

Wait On God's Timing And Plan

Genesis 30:22-24 -  Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”  She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”

Jacob had many children.  His first wife Leah bore him his first four.  Then Rachel became jealous of her sister’s fertile womb and gave Jacob her handmaid…so she had two sons by her handmaid.  Not to be outdone…Leah gave her handmaid to Jacob as well and she had two more sons…plus a daughter. Then God finally opened Rachel’s womb and she had Joseph.

Children were everything in this culture.  Rachel was loved by Jacob but felt incomplete when she was barren.  Leah felt unloved but found purpose and love through her children. Rachel never understood why God allowed her sister to conceive instead of her…turning their relationship into a contest of who could give Jacob more children.

It is a reminder to me to wait on God’s timing and plan.  It isn’t easy…it takes a disciplined mind and heart to trust that God promise in Jeremiah 29:11 will indeed manifest itself…especially when God allows time to prolong the promise. God had heard Rachel’s plea for children all along. He gave her this desire of her heart when he knew it would be best.

Father…thank you for the reminder to wait on you. Forgive me for the times that I jump ahead of your plan and become impatient waiting.  Help me to see the value in trusting you completely with the timing of all you allow in my life.  Show me how to wait on you and be content and happy while I am waiting. Amen.

A Positive Attitude is The Beginning Of A Deeper Walk With God

Genesis 29:26-28  -  Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.   Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

Jacob found a home with his uncle. He even felt love for his younger daughter. As wages for working for Laban he was to have Rachel as his wife in seven years. But Jacob got a taste of his own medicine…so to speak. He was deceived by Laban on his wedding night and ended up with the older sister Leah. He got Rachel as well a week later…but had to work another 7 years for her.

Jacob must have learned something from his years with Laban…for he didn’t give up and become bitter. He was willing to work as long as it took for him to have Rachel as well. His attitude of persistence gave him a boldness …a strength to work the next seven years to get what he wanted.  He learned in those 14 years that hard work is better than deception.

What a great reminder that attitude and hard work is everything. A positive attitude can help us learn the things God needs us to have if we are to be useful in his kingdom.  God’s timing and plan are not always obvious…we have to be willing to do what it takes to become what he needs us to be. It may take a week…or a year…or seven years…or fourteen.

It only took two or three years for Jesus. He was so focused and connected to his father that he was able to accomplish everything God had sent him to do in just 3 years after his baptism. It took 40 years for the Israelites….who complained and worshiped God so erratically …they never truly believed the promise waiting for them in the land of Canaan.

I have to admit that I am more like Jacob and the Israelites. I am learning to be more consistent with my worship and prayer and Bible study…but feel like I am playing catch up so many days of my life. It is so easy to fall back into old patterns instead of strengthening the old with more time with God. I need to work on being more persistent… and not giving in so easy to the flesh that holds me back from the doing the hard work God requires of us to learn who he is completely.

Father…thank you for the reminder that a positive attitude is the beginning of a deeper walk with you.  Forgive me for the times that I have let bitterness…jealously…and plain ole tiredness slow down the training schedule you had planned for me. Help me to stay more focused on you and continually connected with prayer and Bible study so that you can help me achieve what you sent me here to do.  Amen. 

Have You had A Moment Of Full Belief...And Made Your Vow To God?

Genesis 28:  16-22   -  When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”  He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”  Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.  Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house…

Jacob….sent away to find a wife from his mother’s family back home…stopped to rest one night. God appeared to him in a dream and repeated the promise he had made to his grandfather. He had one of those defining moments of faith…where he began to believe in God for his care and provision…instead of depending on his own logic or the deceptive plans of his mother.

Jacob still doesn’t get the full ramifications of God’s promise to him…but at least he understands that God is bigger than blessings and birthrights…and is ready to let him become his caregiver and Lord. His ..IF…is a confirmation that he understands what God has said to him.  He even makes a serious response to God’s words…a vow that God will be his Lord.

It reminds me of the moment I became a Christian… that moment when you hear God’s still small voice for the first time and your feet respond to his call to be your savior and Lord. I was 14….struggling with the fact that I had walked an isle at 7 and been baptized at an early age…not sure of my salvation even though I was a worker bee in many ministries and programs at church. It was an epiphany of realization that I could hide from no longer…I had to be sure that God was going to be a full part of my life. In that moment I said yes…and we began to have a relationship where God would train and teach me everything I needed to know to live for him completely.

It’s a great reminder to reflect on whether I have indeed made God my Lord in everything about my life. God sure has taken care of me through the years…I have everything I need. I may have wanted a few things that I didn’t get…but I am realizing that God knows best….and question less and less the no answers I get in life. It is a reminder that the vow I made to God formed a permanent relationship that will be one sided if I do not do my part to nourish it with prayer and Bible study.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I made a vow to you…for you to be my Lord.  Forgive me for the times that I have taken that vow for granted...not doing my part to strengthen and help it grow. Help me to take my vow to you more seriously…and come to you daily in prayer and study of your word…so that you can help me learn more about the love I need to power a life that puts you first. Amen. 

Lies And Deception Align You With The Father of Lies

Genesis 27: 18-20 -  He went to his father and said, “My father.” “Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”  Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied.

Rebekah joins her beloved son in a deception that cheats Esau out of the traditional blessing of the oldest male. She overheard the directions of Isaac to Esau and talked Jacob into wearing Esau’s clothes. Jacob was worried about his fair complexion…so Rebekah fastened the skins of the goats she had cooked to his hands and neck. The deception wasn’t complete with just the clothes...food and skin coverings.  Jacob had to lie to his father.  He even included God in his deception…using his name in his lie.

Jacob succeeded in being blessed more than he deserved…but the price for his success was high. His brother was so mad…the turmoil that existed between them turned to pure hate…hate so strong that Esau swore he would kill his brother after his father had died…and he had time to mourn his death.

The Bible has over 100 verses that tell us the hatred and consequences God has for those that lie to get their way. John 8:44 speaks one of the strongest reasons not to let yourself fall into the trap that Rebekah and Jacob did.  It says… “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

What a great reminder that lying aligns us with the father of lies…the creator of evil…the one who fell from grace and thinks to this day he can still overcome the one who created him. That thought alone is enough to give us a motive to think twice before we use any form of deception or lie for any reason. I have to admit that I never thought of any lie I told that way. 

Lies keep us from seeing the truth. It is no accident that the Bible also has over 100 verses about telling the truth.   John must have had a great understanding of this concept for he recorded this great words in  chapter 8 verse 33 … “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Lies trap us in a world of deception… Jacob is getting sent away to an uncle to save his life in the next chapter.  He will be there for a while…so God can fix the mess he made and soften Esau’s heart to a stage of forgiveness.

Father…thank you for the reminder that lies and deception are not your way. Forgive me for the times that I have let my circumstances dictate words of deception instead of letting the truth bring light and your love to the situation I was afraid of. Help me to stay aligned to you…so I will see the importance of always using the truth to govern my thoughts and actions. Amen.

Persistence Plus Faith Is A Great Combination

Genesis 26:19-22 -   Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.  Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”

Isaac had been blessed so greatly that the king of the land where he had settled asked him to leave. So Isaac journeyed back to where his father had lived.  He reopened the wells that had been stopped up with earth...even dug new ones as the old were claimed by the Philistines that lived there now.

I am strengthened by Isaac’s resolve to keep moving and dig new wells till no new claims were made on one.  He did not fight with the Philistines that took over his father’s wells…he moved on to another area and dug a new well till no one fought with him over it.  He did not develop an attitude of entitlement …that his riches gave him special rights… he waited on God to do what he knew by faith would be done.

Isaac built an altar to God at the place where God gave him no fusses about his new well. He knew the Lord had provided and was giving him this land where he was raised to nurture his family and provide for his servants. The king was so impressed with how God had blessed him….and the model of living that Isaac showed…that he asked Isaac for a covenant between them.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you will provide everything we need to live and prosper. You let Jeremiah record my favorite words of promise in 29:11… “ For I know the plans I have for you…declares the Lord…plans to prosper you and not to harm you...plans to give you hope and a future.” Forgive me for the times that I have fought to get my way…and not let you work things out for me in your own timing.  Help me to hold tight to the faith you have given me and let it grow into a trust through any situation.  Amen.