Genesis 28

Scripture:  Genesis chapter 28

Observation:  Isaac, in agreement with Rebekah's wishes, sends Jacob to Paddan-aram to his uncle Laban to find a wife.  He blesses is his son as he sends him off.  Esau notices this, and realizes that his parents are displeased with his choice in wife.  To make up for it, he marries one of his uncle Ishmael's daughters.

On his way to Haran, Jacob stops to sleep and has an amazing vision of a ladder that reaches heaven, with the angels ascending and descending it.  The Lord stands above the ladder and speaks to Jacob.  He blesses Jacob and promises to be with him, giving him the land He promised Abraham.  Jacob awakens and, recognizing this to be a very special place, names it Bethel which means House of God.  He vows to the Lord that if He takes care of him as He promised, Jacob will be loyal to the Lord and give him one tenth of all he earns.

Application:  I was intrigued by Esau's apparent solution to his wrong actions in marrying Canaanite women.  Rather than fix the marriages he already had, he chose to take on yet another wife, the one that would have pleased his father in the first place.  Sometimes, when we make mistakes, we can go back and fix the error.  Other times, we need to accept that we were wrong and try to work with the situation already at hand to make it better.  Jacob chose to obey his parents and honor them, and for this God blessed him and promised to be with him always.  God treasures obedience above all.

Prayer:  Lord, it would seem that makes everything easier.  You tell us what to do in Your Word, and we are to obey.  It should be cut and dry.  Yet disobedience abounds, even when I want to obey and honor You.  My sinful nature comes into play and distracts me from Your purpose.  Help me to continue to grow spiritually so that my old nature can completely disappear and all that is left is the new creation that You have made, one that brings glory to Your Name.  In Christ Jesus I pray, Amen.