God Has A Plan

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

GOD HAS A PLAN

Gen 29:31-35

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." 33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon.  34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.  35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

NIV

Now wait just a minute. Is this telling us that Jacob hated Leah, for the Hebrew word translated as not loved has this direct meaning of hate, or to hate. We are not told who hated her, but that Jacob did not love her. How could Jacob lay with her time and time again as she continued to have sons for him and still not love her? In our culture that seems so odd to the point it would not happen. It would seem no one man would lay with a woman, engaging in the most intimate moments all the while hating her, at least in the context of marriage as Jacob and Leah were. We might understand there might not be any love lost between Rachel and Leah as Rachel was unable to have any children and had this desire for Jacob to watch her sister have son after son for him. However, the first four sons, or the first four tribes of Israel have come into this family, especially Judah, although God has yet to rename Jacob Israel. We find that interesting that God chose Leah be the woman through the Lion of Judah would come into the world. Here is where we learn never to put God in a box. We should never expect God to act per our plans. Certainly, we would think that Jacob would rather that Rachel would have borne those sons, but at the same time, he was spending quite a bit of time in the arms of Leah. Nevertheless, God chose Leah to be the mother of Judah through which Jesus would come into the world. Whenever we think God might do one thing, he just might do something else. Our desires or hopeful plans might come true if we put all our efforts into making them true. But then those would be the plans of man and we know we might make our plans, but the Lord orders our footsteps. We might think God is going to go along with our plans, but he has greater plans for us and he will see to it that his plans for us come true. Rachel will eventually have two sons, one being Joseph who we know will someday save all the household of Israel from starvation, yet Jesus will come into the world through the line of Leah’s son Judah. God’s plan is always the best and we should always be willing to follow that path he has lit for us with the Light of Christ. Just as we think it was not Jacob who hated Leah because she bore him sons, we cannot ever dislike in the least bit the plan God has determined for our lives. This could include the greatest of things, or it could include suffering through some things, but it is always God’s plan for our lives, and it is worth everything. No matter how long we live, let us always be aware that God is at work in His plan for our lives, for God has a plan. 

The Hand of God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE HAND OF GOD

Gen 29:21-30

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her." 22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" 26 Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." 28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. 30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

NIV

The deception is complete. We ponder why Laban did not tell Jacob of their custom of not giving the younger daughter in marriage until the older daughter was given in marriage. Of course, we may never know the reason for this deception other than Karma because Jacob’s name means supplanter, or substitute, taking the place of another, like he deceived his father, taking the place of his brother Esau. So here Laban gives Leah as a supplanter to Rachel. However, Jacob gives Laban a piece of his mind in the morning after he wakes up next to Leah. We do wonder why he did not know it was her in the evening when she came into his tent, or vice versa, he went into her tent. Perhaps during the great feast, Jacob drank too much wine and was so drunk he did not know he was laying with Leah. Yet, we know there was a difference between the two women, although the only thing we know about Leah is she had soft or weak eyes. In the darkness of the tent, her eyes would not matter, but still, we would wonder if Jacob would know the difference between Leah and Rachel. We also know Leah could not be ugly as Jacob lays with her many times because she bore him four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Still, now he is committed to working another seven years, but He does have Rachel in marriage. So the scene is set, Jacob has two wives each with a maidservant. Is this the providence of God? It certainly looks like God’s hand was at work in the life of Jacob so that the lion of Judah would come into the world. Once again we see the first covenant that installs the sons of Levi as the priestly line yet Jesus came through the line of Judah, installing a new covenant as a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Everything is in accordance with the hand of God, or His will. This is our story as well. We are living in accordance with the will of God. That does not mean we are living a perfectly obedient life free from all sin. However, we are free from the penalty of sin because we have accepted the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. This is also not to say that we are the only ones. We know it is God’s will that all come to Jesus, it is just that some refuse to submit to his will. We might also consider whether we have fully or completely submitted to his will in every aspect of our lives. Do we still want some control over our lives? Did Jacob have any control regarding having Leah first? This was the hand of God, and we know Jacob had that vision or visit from the Lord and committed himself to the covenant. We have committed ourselves to God’s new covenant through Jesus as it is by faith we are saved from the destruction of hell. We also know God’s hand has been at work in our lives from the beginning, as he knew us when he formed us in our mother’s womb, and He has always had plans for our lives. Let us make sure we always check with him first before making any plans of our own, for we know we live by the hand of God. 

A Few Days

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

A FEW DAYS

Gen 29:14-20

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

NIV

The deception is about to take place, but before we deal with that, something here rings our bell or strikes a chord in our hearts. First, there is the offer of paying Jacob for his labor because Laban did not think it fair Jacob worked for nothing just because he was a relative. Perhaps, Laban is not that off, or that bad of a character, and maybe this deception that is about to occur is from the hand of God. If Jacob is going to have twelve sons, he will need more than one wife, and even then there will be maidservants involved in giving Jacob all his sons. However, the nugget for us at this beginning of the story is that Jacob worked for seven years to have Rachel, whom he loved, as a wife, but it only seemed like only a few days to him. Is that not our story only we have been married for way more than seven years, but because we love our spouse, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-plus years only seem like a few days. We can look back throughout our lives and remember so many events, so many we know it took many years to accomplish, yet because we are still in love the time has just slipped right by almost without noticing. Although the fact that love covers a multitude of sins as Peter puts it. Solomon framed it in a proverb, “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all wrongs”. Because of our love, there is no record of wrongs as Paul put it in his letter to the Corinthians. When we think of no record of wrongs, we think that it would be impossible to ever remind ourselves of those wrongs, as well as reminding our spouses, that is if we kept no record. Surely God keeps no record of our wrongs, but then He is God and we are but mere humans with all our weaknesses. Still, our mark, our command is from God, and if we are obeying the word of God, then because we love that person, first and foremost, our spouse, but that love carries over to our neighbor. Without getting sidetracked with loving our neighbor, the point is no matter how many years we have loved our spouse, or been in love with our spouse, it only seems like a few days. 

Rolled The Stone Away

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

ROLLED THE STONE AWAY

Gen 29:1-14

29:1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. 2 There he saw a well in the field, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they replied. 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." 7 "Look," he said, "the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture." 8 "We can't," they replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep." 9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood."

NIV

We are about to come to the deceiver being deceived, but first, we should take note of the shepherd’s system of watering the sheep. They did not want to roll the stone away from the mouth of the well until all the flocks had gathered. It would appear they were waiting for Rachel and her flock, although we are not told exactly the reason for not rolling the stone away. Now we come to the meeting of Jacob and Rachel which will begin a long tale of the house of Israel and the birth of Joseph. We know this story, but what can we learn from this first chapter in the life of Jacob and Rachel. Certainly, we know she must have been the fairest of young ladies, yet she was a shepherdess, a woman of the fields, and one who was always in the company of sheep. She was most likely not dressed in the finest clothes, and perhaps her face and hands may have been tanned and even chapped by the sun. Her hair may not have been perfectly in place. Still, she was of Jacob’s family and his success in finding Laban was from the hand of God. When Jacob finally met Laban there was great joy all around. Yet what is our lesson? Could it be about family? Could it be about hospitality? Could it be Jacob's testimony when he told Laban all these things? We would have to think that Jacob recounted his blessing from his father, and his mother, the sister of Laben telling him to find a wife from her family, and how he had a vision, or visit from God Almighty reaffirming His covenant with Jacob, the one he first gave to his grandfather Abraham and to his father Isaac. Of course, from now on God will be known by the Israelites as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Still, we should take our lesson from what appears that Jacob witnessed to Laban the hand of God upon his life, by telling all these things. God was certainly watching over Jacob because of his covenant with him. We know we live within another covenant God has made with us through Jesus. We know God watches over us. We know God has blessed us beyond what we are worthy of, yet through Jesus, we will live even though we die. What greater blessing can there be, yet as with Jacob, God has shown his lamp, no, he has shown his blight light upon our feet, directing our way, leading us step by step to the place he wants us, just as he did for Jacob. Jesus is our Great Shepard. As the stone was rolled away by Jacob to water his uncle’s sheep, Jesus rolled a stone away to rise from the grave, and he has rolled a stone away from our eyes, but more importantly, from our hearts and He waters our soul. Jesus said that if we came to him we would never be hungry or thirsty. This is our best lesson. Jesus has rolled the stone away from our hearts, and our souls, and watered our spirits, from the spring of living water. 

He Will Be My God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HE WILL BE MY GOD

Gen 28:18-22

18 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. 19 He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. 20 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 21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD  will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

NIV

We are not sure that it is a good idea to do an, “if” with God. We see that is what Jacob did and we can be sure that God did do all that Jacob put him to the test. Of course, Jacob also made a vow and we know that it would be better that our yes meant yes and our no meant no, rather than vowing to God. Solomon said that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. We would think Jacob fully intended to keep this vow. Still, we do not have to wonder or say if God will be with us and watch over us on our journey. We also do not have to wonder if God will give us food to eat and clothes to wear, and for that matter that includes a place to live. Since we turned from our wicked ways and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God has been providing for us in every one of those ways. He has also been a lamp onto our feet directing us to where we should live and most importantly, where we should worship. Perhaps we should say where we engage in corporate worship in church, for we should be living a worshipful life daily. How can we not always be in worship of our God when he is always involved in watching over us and providing us with abundant life, both this one and especially the one to come? We see that in that Jacob was asking to return safely to his father’s house. Jacob made that statement with that “if”, God would do all that, then the Lord would be his God, or Yahweh would be his Elohiym. This is the supreme creator of all things, who we know as Jesus, would be his one true ruler, judge, God. We know because we are in Christ, that is we are born-again, followers of Jesus that we will return safely to our Father’s house. In fact, Jesus is coming back to take us there so that where he is, we will be also. What a promise we live with, knowing God is our God and his house is our house. We do not need to set up a pillar for God is making us into a pillar in his temple. However, in the meantime, we also have decided that we will give a tenth of all that he gives us. Normally, we consider that to be a tenth of our income, however, we wonder if a tenth of our time is enough, or a tenth of the gift of talent he has given to us is enough. For that matter is a tenth of our life enough? We think that we have dedicated our lives to serving His kingdom, yet that is not our guarantee of salvation, for it is by faith in Jesus Christ and faith alone that brings us salvation, and Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us as the guarantee. Thank you, Lord, for all you do for us, in us, and even through us. The one thing left to say is that Jacob rose early in the morning to make a pillar onto God. We should always remember that we rise early in the morning to praise our Lord. 

The Gate of Heaven

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE GATE OF HEAVEN

Gen 28:16-17

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." 17 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."

NIV

How awesome is this place, it is the house of God, the gate to heaven. Is that not the story of our local churches. Each church is a house of God, and Jesus said His house will be a house of prayer. It has always been a wonder, I have pondered on this for some time that as we enter the house of God, it does not seem as awesome of a place as it should be because of too much chitter-chatter going on and not enough people sitting preparing to meet with the Living God, especially in the sanctuary. I can understand out in the foyer, or narthex, or whatever people call it. Some of the bigger churches are geared toward the younger generation, they even have a coffee bar, donuts, and such. Busy is all about being friendly. However, I think that when we enter that awesome place, the house of God, the sanctuary where we come to worship the Living God, giving Him all the praise and worship with our whole hearts, worshipping in spirit and in truth, for that is the kind of worshipper the Lord God seeks, we should be still and know that he is God, preparing our hearts for that kind of worship. Preparing to meet with the Living God should be our highest honor and purpose and this is the place of God. Yes, the Holy Spirit indeed dwells within us, and thus in that sense we are always in the presence of our Lord God, or He is always in our presence. But Jesus made it clear about the temple of God, that it should be a house of prayer, a place to meet with God. When we are in the sanctuary in prayer within our hearts we may well be at the gate of heaven. 

Living in the Promise

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LIVING IN THE PROMISE

Gen 28:10-15

10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 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

Once again, God renews or reminds Jacob of the promise He made to Abraham and to Isaac and now Jacob receives that assurance the promise of God will be accomplished. God has never reneged on his promise, and we can be sure that our promise will come to pass. We may not have been promised any physical land as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have, but we have been promised the paradise of God which is for all eternity. It must have been incredible for Jacob to have the vision of this stairway to heaven with all the angels ascending and descending. What a powerful perception of the way to heaven, although we will not need those stairs for Jesus will raise us up from the earth to meet him in the sky and take off into the heavens into paradise. However, God has also promised us that he would never leave us nor forsake us. Just as he promised Jacob that he would watch over him wherever he went and that he would bring him back to this land, God watches over us wherever we go. That could mean as we continue our walk with him, doing that which he has called us to, or it could mean that if we were to stray a little or get distracted by the world’s system, he would bring us back to the land, the path he has for us. Just the thought that God Almighty, who through Jesus has made everything that has been made, the earth and all that is in it, and all the universe, that man is now beginning to be able to see such a vast portion of it with these newer powerful telescopes, yet still only a portion of what God has spoke into existence, is watching over us. He knows the hairs on our heads, in fact, he has them numbered. This is how close he watches over us. He knows our thoughts before we think them. Not sure how that works exactly, but we know that is true because he is God Almighty, and nothing is impossible with him. Because we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and want to follow him, God will indeed make sure that he brings us back to his throne room in the heavenly realms where Jesus will open that book of life and call out our name before the Father. Praise God we are assured we live in God’s promise.