God Brings Change to our Lives - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 31:20-21,

"Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. So he fled with all he had, and crossing the River, he headed for the hill country of Gilead."

Here are  some thoughts I had on these verses in November, 2007:

Here I read of Jacob as the deceiver again. God tells Jacob to return to his homeland after spending twenty years with Laban, marrying his daughters and acquiring prosperity, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." Genesis 31:3. The Lord tells Jacob he will be with him as he goes and yet Jacob feels the need to deceitfully sneak away. Jacob, as his father, Isaac, and his grandfather, Abraham, seems to rely on an innate proclivity to deception to protect himself. You will recall that both Abraham and Isaac lied about their wives being their sisters so they wouldn't be killed by others to take their beautiful wives. But in all instances we are told that God assured them he would be with them just as God assures Jacob here.

As the story continues, Laban catches up with Jacob anyway and the Lord does for Jacob what he promised to do, to be with him. The Lord warns Laban in a dream, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad." Genesis 31:24. Laban tells Jacob, "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.'" Jacob admits, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force." Clearly there is a theme in each generation of these patriarchs where they feel they have to be deceitful relative to their wives.

In Malachi 1:2 God tells us that he loved Jacob. Paul quotes this verse as he makes the point that God can and will decide who he loves and accepts and who he doesn't (in that passage in Romans 9 Paul makes the point that God has decided that all who will embrace him in faith will be his chosen ones, see verses 30-33). There is no question that Jacob is a man of faith. When God tells him to go, he goes. And yet his faith at times seems to be clouded by actions that demonstrate something else.

What am I to make of this? It appears to be a recurring theme through Genesis. The patriarchs are great men of faith and yet they have their moments when their actions appear to manifest a shortcoming to their faith, and, like here, sometimes right in the midst of following a course of action as a result of their faith (e.g. the Lord tells Jacob to go home, so he leaves for home.) One thing is certain: faith does not a perfect man make! One of the refreshing qualities about the Scriptures is the authenticity it provides itself by representing its human heroes honestly. They are people of faith and they manifest that faith in their lives, and yet they have their shortcomings as the Scriptures faithfully report.

On the one hand I find comfort here. As a man of faith, I have my shortcomings and it is reassuring to know other people of faith before me were not perfect either. On the other hand I find no excuse here for my actions that disappoint the Lord, my self and others. In each instance in the Scriptures we find the Lord reassuring the man of faith that he will be with him. Not in one circumstance did the Lord ever fail to follow through on his promises to the patriarchs. I find that true in my life as well. God promises things to me like, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. There has never been a time in my life where I have witnessed the Lord fail to follow through on his promises. Unfortunately, I can't make the claim for myself.

Such is the wonder of God: he can and does love imperfect people just like me! He commits himself to promises that he always follows through on. But perhaps the most intriguing thing about the Lord is that in the midst of my imperfections he is bringing about those changes that reflect his own character! How astonishing is that?! "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Romans 8:29.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.