Do Not Worry

I think I grew up worrying; at least, it has taken me the better part of sixty years to begin to grasp the value of Jesus' instructions not to worry. In Matthew 6, he tells his followers four times: "Do not worry." Somehow I don't think I'm alone in having had difficulty taking this injunction on board.

In my experience, worrying seems to relate to the need to control. I know a lot of "control freaks", and have been guilty of the same. But this desperate need to control is an extremely destructive force and capable of ripping apart family relationships, church fellowships and becoming like a cancerous tumor in the spiritual lives of individuals. I really don't want to be characterized by that negative quality.

Although Jesus' words have always made sense, from an intellectual perspective, I think seeing the effects of worry on everyday relationships, has intensified my desire to let "tomorrow's worries" take care of themselves. Jesus tells us that we should not worry about our lives and the things that sustain life ("what you eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear.") He notes that "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Actually, by worrying, we no doubt deduct a few hours, if not years, from our lives.

Why do I so easily allow myself to be trapped in the sticky mesh of anxiety when I could experience the freedom promised to those who "cast all your cares upon him for he cares for you"? A good Lenten sacrifice would be that of consciously giving up the spuriously attractive need to control that so often insinuates itself in my spirit. A positive Lenten action would be embracing the goodness of God and trusting in His sovereignty to care for me and those I love. How can I not trust "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ....In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." The hard daily discipline of casting myself on God's goodness and seeking His kingdom and good purposes is surely worth the effort!

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Downturn

The world markets were reeling yesterday, and everyone on European television this morning is talking about the fact that we didn't really have a complete view of the situation since the US markets were closed in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday. Commentators have been declaring that they expect the West (or the United States at least) could have a major depression like that of the 1930s. People are unsettled, and, no doubt, most of our lives will become unsettled as well. The prosperity to which we have become so accustomed seems poised to evaporate. (Why we as Christian believers get lulled into financial complacency is beyond me, since Jesus warned us that all material things are ephemeral. But we are all too easily acculturated!)

I'm starting a study of the Gospel of Matthew, a book I haven't examined in a while. It's kind of interesting to look at Matthew, who probably was the most financially secure of all the disciples Jesus called. Although looked down upon by the religious hierarchy and his Jewish compatriots, Matthew surely was economically secure. He obviously had enough funds to host a dinner party where he introduced some of his "riff-raff" friends to Jesus. (Matthew 9:9-10; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32)

Matthew impresses me in two ways particularly. He didn't hesitate to leave his job and follow Jesus. He didn't dither about, trying to figure out if he could afford to make this step of faith. He just left. We don't have the details on how he subsisted from this point, but he obviously had the faith that God would take care of those details. The other disciples similarly left all they had to follow. Jesus' call on their lives was such that they moved out in faith regardless of the economic consequences.

Matthew also impresses me by his immediate desire to introduce his friends to Jesus. Jesus had so impacted his life (even in these early stages of their relationship) that he didn't waste any time in holding a dinner party and inviting his friends to meet his new master--a far different master from the Roman government.

Future economic uncertainty did not cause Matthew to blanch in fear or spurn the call of Jesus on his life. As we know Matthew lived at least until 50 A.D. (when he possibly wrote his Gospel), we know that God provided for his needs and sustained him.

So in the face of possible terrorism, falling economies, stressed-out governments, I can have faith that God's call to me is to follow. He will work out the details of my sustenance and my future. My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. (Ps. 62:1)

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The Quality of Mercy

The Friday morning Bible study in which I participate has been studying how to manage our emotions through studying the Psalms. It’s been an instructive study, and has actually been a way to draw in people who might otherwise shy away from Bible study. After all, everyone deals with emotions! The women who’ve visited have been surprised at the pertinence of the Bible to the things they are feeling and experiencing. This week the subject was dealing with anger, and it was amazing the number of things that can contribute to that emotion and how easily that emotion can deteriorate into full-blown sin.

In addition to studying the Psalms, I’m involved in a Bible study on the Sermon on the Mount. Certainly there is no more soul-searing study than this sermon of Jesus. There is no escape from the soul-probing nature of his comments, which too often reveal things about myself I’d rather not know.

Living in the world against the backdrop of these very practical Bible studies has made me think a lot this week. There are issues that make believer angry, or sad, or scared. There are issues that unfortunately cause rifts even between the most dedicated followers of Christ. There is, of course, a God-prescribed way out for even the most damaged emotions and relationships and that way centers around acts of mercy and forgiveness.

We had dinner with some good friends last night, and met some friends of theirs who come from Poland. The Poles were describing some of the traditions they observe at Christmas time, one of which would be a good tradition for any believer to observe. Each household purchases a special kind of very white bread at Christmas time which is served before the Christmas Eve celebratory meal. The father and mother in the home break the bread, and spend as much time as necessary asking for forgiveness from each other for wrongs they’ve committed in the past year. Not only is forgiveness given and received, but they also spend time thanking each other for ways they have shown and experienced love from each other in that time. Following this time of confession and forgiveness, the parents enact the same ceremony with their children. Physical expressions of hugging and kissing are a part of this healing process. Our friends related how such a time of self-revelation gives everyone a clean slate on which to begin the new year. (My husband remarked that if every home in every nation participated wholeheartedly in this exercise, the world would be a different place!)

I was reflecting on this ceremony in light of the morning’s Bible study and discussion. If as I believer I were more merciful and willing to ask forgiveness and keep short accounts with people as well as with God, not only would I be set free from much bitterness and anxiety, but I would free others as well. Obviously, this is not a new concept. I wonder why it is so alien to us in the believing community and so infrequently practiced?

William Shakespeare had it right when he wrote: “The quality of mercy is … twice-blest: it blesseth him that gives and him that takes…. It is an attribute to God Himself…. Though justice be thy plea, consider this: that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.”

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Tuning up to Praise

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In his book, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, C.S. Lewis writes that “praise is inner health made audible.” As usual, Lewis manages to succinctly state truths that I don’t often think of myself. I find that I generally have to work at praising God. Usually I am so busy trying to figure out why God doesn’t answer such-and such a prayer, or why a good God allows evil, that I neglect to focus on all that God HAS done for me and others. I don’t think I’m alone in this. Most believers I know are pretty stressed out about things that are beyond our control, and we’d probably be healthier emotionally and physically if we were focused on the God who is in control.

J.I. Packer and Carolyn Nystrom, in their book, Praying, quote Isaac Watts’ hymn: “I’ll praise my Maker when I’ve breath, and when my voice is lost in death, praise shall employ my nobler powers. My days of praise shall ne’er be past while life and thought and being last, or immortality endures.” From their point of view, the Christian life should be one of tuning up to sing with the heavenly orchestra and choir, comprised of the angels and saints who’ve gone before us. When we die, we should be well-rehearsed in the occupation of praising and giving God glory. Our primary responsibility in heaven will be that of praise; do I really want to feel like a duck out of water when I arrive at the pearly gates?

The practice of praise does not need to be determined by my current life situation. Packer and Nystrom admit that praise may not always come easily to me—praise may not even always be enjoyable—but I still need to practice it. Job, after he has been afflicted by his adversary, Satan, was able to worship and affirm the sovereignty of God. (Job 1:20-21). Habakkuk was able to write, in the midst of severe affliction: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no fruit, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength.” (Hab. 3:17-19) Somehow their focus on God, and their submission to His sovereignty was enough to keep them praising even in adversity.

Being a musician, I like the idea of tuning up for the heavenly concert. I also like the concept (more predominant in Anglican liturgy than in free church practice) that the saints and angels are continually praising all around us even now. I am not a lone voice in this praise chorus, and I can sing along with those who are far better prepared to praise than I am. I suppose this analogy has more poignancy for me as I am facing the year anniversary of my father’s death. Dad, as much as anyone I know, had practiced well for his current, and eternal job: that of praising His infinitely loving Saviour and Creator. His life was set on knowing God ever more intimately and becoming more and more like His Redeemer. So even though I can’t see him, I can sing along with him and imagine his rich deep voice perfected in his ministry of praise.

“Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune MY heart to sing Thy praise….”

Choked by Sin

A friend of mine wrote this week wondering why believers, who have been forgiven, cleansed, redeemed and filled by the Holy Spirit still succumb to sin. She stated correctly that, to a large extent, for a Christian to remain in a state of sin is a decision. Why then do we decide so often to sin rather than to resist?

I don't really have an answer to the above question. Of course, the apostle Paul brilliantly describes the struggle of the war within all of us: there's that sinful nature to contend with until we die. I'll have to say that I don't really know many believers who triumph over sin more than we fall--our sinful nature becomes a convenient excuse for our failures in holiness.

A partial clue may be found in a quote by J.C. Ryle, as read in Packer/Nystrom's book called Praying. Ryle wrote: Praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer. I cannot forget this. I look at men's lives. I believe that few pray. Prayerlessness is certainly part of the answer to my friend's question. There are times when we are so aware of spiritual battles raging all about us that we are driven to prayer; the trick is to remember they're still raging even when we don't see them and to remain on our knees.

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Distrust

After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers, in spite of the years of prosperity they had now enjoyed in Egypt, were fearful of Joseph. They had, after all, sold him into slavery many years before. Perhaps now that their father was dead, he would exact revenge upon them.

Naturally Joseph was distressed and, undoubtedly, hurt that they hadn’t come to know him better than this. Had they not experienced goodness from his hand and that of his employer, the almighty Pharaoh? He explained his perspective to them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21)

There was not a trace of bitterness in Joseph’s attitude. As he had submitted to the suffering of the past, he had learned to rest in God’s embrace and let him take care of the hurts that he experienced. So he was able to react with kindness and generosity towards these brothers who, even at this late date in their lives, really insulted him by their lack of trust in his good character.

The parallel with my own attitude toward God’s goodness and care is too strong to miss. How many times do I fail to focus on the “living hope” promised in I Peter and instead point my gaze to the struggles which I may be experiencing? How often, like God’s people of old, do I neglect to revel in His goodness, or even miss seeing His care and love, by focusing on the finite? My lack of faith reveals a lack of gratitude for all God has done in the past. I, all too frequently, am guilty of insulting God’s character just as Joseph’s brothers insulted him. My past experiences of God’s goodness should be a cause for gratefulness as well as serving my bedrock as I walk into the future of His grace.

How good is the God we adore,
Our patient, unchangeable Friend,
Whose love is as great as His power
And knows neither measure nor end.

‘Tis Jesus, the first and the last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home.
We’ll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart

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Spiritual Growth

Sunday School curricula spend a lot of time talking about Jacob’s trickster nature and exposing the weaknesses of his character. Unfortunately, too often we miss out on a great lesson of Scripture by letting the rest of Jacob's life be eclipsed by the story of Joseph. The message we miss is that God can change the most unpromising people into saintly ones!

We are familiar with Jacob’s wrestling with God and his dialogues with God, which certainly are indicative of spiritual growth. As he ages and approaches death, we catch more glimpses of the man he became under God’s grace-filled hand. Everyone knows the story of the famine that stretched over the Middle East during Joseph’s time. It was the famine that providentially brought Joseph’s brothers to Egypt, and served as a means of reuniting Jacob’s family.

The Scriptures tell us that “Jacob was stunned” (Gen. 45:26) upon hearing the news that Joseph was alive and a ruler in Egypt. Imagine the thoughts that raced through his mind on realizing that he could be reunited with this beloved son! It’s significant to note, however, that as he set out for Egypt, he offered sacrifices to God. No longer would he run heedlessly to do his own will; he needed to hear the will and promise of God. With God’s assurance he set out for the great reunion.

The emotions described in Gen. 46:28-30 of the meeting between Joseph and Jacob are intense. All the years of loneliness that Joseph had experienced were finally released in this moving encounter! Certainly Pharaoh was curious to meet this family of nomadic herders that was related to his second in command and generously gave them pasture land. (Gen. 47:1-12) Jacob’s presentation to Pharaoh is most interesting. Not at all cowed by meeting this “sun god”, Jacob blessed him twice with the blessing of God Almighty. Jacob was completely secure in himself and in his God during this meeting with royalty and was a witness to the God he knew so well.

Jacob lived 17 years in Egypt, during which time his family grew and prospered. He realized that his death was approaching, and he made Joseph promise that he would be buried in the land of the promise, Canaan. (Gen. 47:27-31) In this request, Jacob affirmed his faith in God’s promise which was: “I am God, the God of your father…. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again.” (Gen. 46:3 and 4) As he obtained the promise from Joseph, the Scripture tells us that Jacob [Israel] worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff—a fact for which he is commended in Hebrews 11:21. This elderly man, too frail perhaps to stand on his own, still stood in worship, supporting himself on his staff.

Jacob’s last recorded act is the blessing of his grandsons through Joseph, and words of prophesy about his sons. Deceitful Jacob has now become a prophet of the Most High God, and we see him peacefully being taken to his rest after these words of prophecy and instruction. “When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people." (Gen. 49)

Sometimes we despair that God will ever work to change lives and make us more like himself. The story of Jacob is an encouragement, and a reminder. In focusing on Jacob’s frailties, we often miss the spiritual growth that God brought about in his life. By the time of Jacob’s death, he had become a man whose life, thoughts and actions had been transformed by God. He had come to be an obedient servant, and indeed, one of the patriarchs—a follower of “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

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A Celebration of 60

This weekend we celebrated 60 years of Jim--and a finer man could not be celebrated! The church threw a great party, full of fun and laughter. Here's a glimpse:










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Grieving

My 21-year-old nephew, Phillip, died this week. Our son and daughter-in-law were with us on a glorious day, travelling the bends of the Dingle peninsula to see Slea Head when we got the phone call. Usually our mobile calls come from within Ireland, so when we heard my brother-in-law's voice on the phone asking us to return the call, we knew the news must be bad.

We thought perhaps something had happened to my 91-year-old mother-in-law. She's fairly frail and had some broken bones as well as a hospitalization this year. The news was not what we anticipated. Our nephew, at missionary training in Colorado, was killed instantly in a motorcycle accident. Phillip had been at evening church with his buddies, taken a wrong turn on the way home, and as he tried to right his mistake was hit by an SUV and instantly died.

We wasted a few hours trying to figure out if any of us could make it home for the funeral before figuring out it wasn't possible. When the urgent need to respond finally subsided, we realized that we could deal with our grief even on holiday. There was something very therapeutic about being with family (something that doesn't happen very often now that we live on the other side of the Atlantic) and about being in a place of such resplendant beauty.

So today we're here while the rest of the family gathers for Phillip's funeral. I have some questions to which there will probably never be answers. Why must my fine brother-in-law, who has already been buffeted about by more tribulations than many people, endure yet another one? And why would God take a young man just ready to serve Him as an adult at the moment when that service was ready to begin? I don't know if this was a wake-up call for those of us who are family members, or perhaps even for some of Phillip's friends. My prayer is, though, that in today's funeral service, God will be glorified and people will be challenged as well as comforted in the midst of all the pain. I don't understand the doctrine of the sovereignty of God, but I am thankful that it is a rock to hold in the midst of storms like this one. I'm also thankful that Phillip was undeniably ready to meet God. So many people postpone momentous spiritual decisions until it's too late; I know where Phill is, and I'm thankful that, instead of succumbing to the distractions that no doubt came his way, he made the right choice.

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Resting on the Rock

The story of Joseph’s dreams, his being sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, and his being bought by the captain of the guards, Potiphar, is well known. Re-reading Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship while studying Joseph has given me a slightly different perspective on the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife.

Gen. 39:1-19. In spite of his being sold into slavery, God’s hand was clearly on Joseph when he was bought by Potiphar and given a position of honour (from the standpoint of a slave) and responsibility in the household. The text makes it very clear that God’s presence was with Joseph and it was He who was responsible for Joseph’s success. Obviously Joseph worked hard and was well-equipped for adjusting to a new culture and inspiring confidence in his employer. God prospered him as he faithfully carried out his work.

Potiphar’s wife, impressed by the handsome Hebrew, repeatedly tried to seduce him. His self-control as a young and viral man is remarkable, especially when one considers the nature of the temptation as described by James Boice:

It appealed to a natural, God-given desire.
It came when Joseph was vulnerable, being away from home and family.
It came from a woman of status.
It came after a promotion, when Joseph’s guard could have been down.
It was repeated.

When Joseph fled yet another attempt at seduction and left his cloak in the hands of his pursuer, he was entrapped and accused by Potiphar’s wife of trying to seduce her. He was thrown into prison, but even there “the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love.” In fact, Joseph’s worth and talents were so apparent, that he was made responsible for all those held in the prison.

There is no evidence, from the Scriptural passage, that Joseph fought his imprisonment or even rebelled against the injustice. Of course, as a slave, he had no rights, but many other people in his situation at least would have fought back verbally. Instead, Joseph acted in such a way that even his jailers respected him, and as a consequence, God was able to prosper and use him even in this unlikely place.

Bonhoeffer remarks that “the only way to overcome evil is to let it run to a standstill because it does not find the resistance it is looking for. Resistance merely creates further evil and adds fuel to the flames.” If Joseph had fought the injustice, he probably would have “added fuel to the flames”, and may even have lost his life. Instead, by trusting in the sovereignty of God, he was able to use the situation to nurture himself spiritually and through the experience even gained the administrative experience that would stand him in such good stead in the future.

Some people feel that non-resistance indicates a lack of courage. It seems, in light of Joseph’s story, that it was indicative of great strength of character and also impressive trust in God’s goodness. I really wish that Joseph had journaled his life. I’d like to know what kind of dialogue with God he had that sustained him, and helped him accept the difficult things that formed his youth. He didn’t journal, but I have the biblical account of his character that didn’t grow bitter through difficulty; instead he chose to grow and thrive under the kind care of the God of his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Joseph leaned on the Rock, and as a consequence, grew in strength and godliness.

2 Samuel 22:31-33: As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

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He Makes the Foulest Clean

I haven’t blogged at all lately, mainly because I think I got bored with blogging about Genesis (they repeated the same mistakes over and over like I do), and I didn’t feel I had anything fresh to say. The gloriously sunny days of spring in Ireland have also contributed to a feeling of lassitude in regard to writing, I daresay. Strange to think of gloriously sunny days in Ireland, but I think we’ve had only one downpour in the entire month of April!

Time to be disciplined again, but I will not offer continuous commentary on the remainder of Genesis; rather I’ll mention some points that impressed me as I read to the end of the book. The story of Judah and Tamar is probably one of the uglier stories in the Bible. Part of what makes the Bible such a credible book, however, is that it presents people in all their flagrant sinfulness. This story (found in Genesis 38) is no exception.

Judah’s son, Er, married Tamar, a Canaanite woman. Er was apparently such a wicked man the Scriptures tell us that “the Lord put him to death”. (Genesis 38:7) In the cultural context of the time, the brothers of the deceased were to sleep with the widow in an effort to help her produce offspring, thus giving her a sort of financial insurance policy. Onan had no desire for additional heirs with whom to share the family wealth, so he did not cooperate. God’s view of the situation was stern: “What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so he put him to death also.”

Judah suggested that Tamar wait until his youngest son came of age, but he never fulfilled his promise to Tamar to take care of her through this son, Shua. Frustrated at the lack of concern for her well-being, Tamar took matters into her own hands, and disguised as a prostitute, enticed her father-in-law to sleep with her. This one night stand resulted in a pregnancy for Tamar, which was just what she needed. (I did say, didn’t I, that the Bible doesn’t hide unsavoury stories?)

Judah was confronted with the accusation that Tamar was a prostitute and pregnant, and in self-righteous rage insisted that she be put to death. His shame was great, however, when Tamar confronted him with the truth of her temporary prostitution, the fact that he had been her sole customer and consequently, the father of the baby she now carried.

Realizing how serious sin is to God (after all, he killed two of Judah’s sons on the basis of their wickedness), it is amazing to see how he deals with Tamar. Over and over again the Psalms tell us that God is concerned about widows and orphans, and works to achieve justice on their behalf. Even though Tamar took things into her own hands in a less than holy manner, God’s compassionate character hovers over the story and depicts just how he works on the behalf of the downtrodden. In the first place, Tamar was blessed with twin sons, ensuring her financial well-being in the future. Not only that, however, she is one of five women listed in Matthew’s genealogy (see Matthew 1:3). In looking at the five women listed in this geneaology, commentators note that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the only one without a “past”. And of course, to the people in her village, Mary was no doubt perceived to have had a “past”. So Tamar (the pagan and temporary prostitute), Rahab (the prostitute), Ruth (the former pagan), Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba (the adulteress) join the godly teenager, Mary, in Jesus’ family tree. What a picture of God’s grace and how He “makes the foulest clean”!

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Camp of God

Genesis 32. Jacob fled from one enemy on his way to meet another potential enemy—brother, Esau, whom he had cheated twenty years before. On his way, Jacob was met by the angels of God and exclaimed, “This is the camp of God”. There are no details to reveal what actually happened, but I wonder whether Jacob was met by a cohort of angels, rather than just one or two heavenly messengers? In any case, Jacob had certainly experienced a visible reminder of God’s promised protection.

Jacob prepared the way for his meeting with Esau by sending a messenger to inform him of the approach of Jacob’s family and that things had gone well with Jacob. Rather than a case of bragging about how well he had done, Jacob was most likely letting Esau know that he was comfortable, and had no intention of cheating Esau to gain more wealth.

The messenger returned more quickly than expected with the unwelcome news that Esau was on his way with 400 men. Such an approach from the brother who had been eager to kill him twenty years ago was not comforting to Jacob! “In great fear and distress” he divided his company in such a way that all would not be lost if Esau attacked him. In the stress of the moment, perhaps Jacob had forgotten that God’s angels were present with him. But he hadn’t forgotten God’s promise and he prayed:

(1) He reminded God of their relationship.
(2) He indicated that he had been obedient.
(3) He told God that he knew he did not deserve God’s kindness.
(4) He asked for God’s help.
(5) He reminded God of His promises.

While this prayer is not generally cited as one of the “great prayers” of the Bible, it is a good prayer and model for us in times of trouble. Jacob simply reminded God of who God was, who he was in relationship to God, and he asked God for his help.

Not only praying, Jacob then acted, preparing fine gifts to present Esau. “A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.” (Prov. 18:16) Jacob sent his gifts on ahead, hoping to pacify Esau before they actually met face to face.

The story again illustrates God’s presence with Jacob, but it also shows that we need not be completely passive in the Christian life. God will protect and care for us, but we do well to plan, think and act within the parameters of godly living. Jacob prayed and asked for God’s help and he also did what he could to help repair his relationship with Esau.

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Mizpah

Genesis 31:22-55. No sooner did Laban learn of Jacob’s flight than he pursued him, but God confronted him in a dream, warning him to be careful what he said to Jacob. Laban took the supposed high ground in the heated discussion, telling Jacob he would have given him a good send-off if he had only known when he was leaving. He also accused Jacob of stealing the household gods. Jacob was incensed at the charge, but Rachel continued the family pattern of deception by hiding them from her father, and getting away with it.

Jacob presented the reality of his integrity to Laban, bringing up the following points about his character and treatment of Laban: (1) He had taken good care of Laban’s flocks. (2) He had born the loss when wild animals killed any animals in the flock. (3) Laban had also demanded payment from Jacob for anything that had been stolen by thieves. (4) Jacob had worked tirelessly under difficult circumstances for 20 years. (5) Laban had constantly changed the amount he had paid Jacob. (6) Jacob realized that everything he possessed was actually from God and that he had received nothing of any value from Laban.

In spite of this litany of Jacob’s integrity (amazing to think how Jacob had changed, by God’s grace from a man of deceit to a man of integrity!), Laban refused to acknowledge the truth of anything Jacob said. Instead, he proposed a covenant to protect himself from Jacob! This covenant marked the end of the dealings between these two family groups.

It’s a bit amusing to think of how Christian people have liked the idea of “Mizpah: may the Lord keep watch between you and me while we are absent one from the other” presumably without knowing the story behind this saying! Essentially, this was a promise that the two families would not go beyond the borders of the heap of stones at Mizpah to harm each other—it indicated nothing of warm family feeling! Fortunately, the story does end with the two families sitting down for a meal together and a restful night, but that was the end of their story together.

Jacob had learned some important things about the sovereignty of God during his twenty years with Uncle Laban. He had learned that God is our Protector and the determiner of our life span: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall the the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Mt. 10:29-30) He learned that threats of enemies are under God’s control: The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Ps. 33:10-11) He learned that people cannot harm ultimately harm us: The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Ps. 118: 6)

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Speckled, spotted and streaked

Gen. 30:15-43. Jacob had worked years for father-in-law, Laban, and after the birth of his son, Joseph, thought it was high time that he headed back home to his parents. He certainly didn’t owe Laban a thing, having worked steadfastly during all his time in Padan Aram.

Laban knew a good thing when he saw it though, and admitted that the Lord had blessed him because of Jacob’s wise management of his possessions. He told Jacob that he could “name his wages” if he’d stay and work for him.

Jacob too knew that “the Lord has blessed [Laban] wherever [Jacob] had been” and he came up with a suggestion for building his own flocks, based on whether they were speckled, streaked or spotted. Laban agreed to the wage suggestion, but removed all the spotted, streaked and speckled males from his flocks and removed himself from Jacob by a three-day journey.

I know nothing about animal husbandry, but Jacob managed to induce the flocks to produce spotted, streaked and speckled lambs and he became increasingly prosperous, coming “to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.” So trickster Laban was outwitted by his son-in-law, who this time, did not use treachery as he had in his youth, but the knowledge he had gained by years of working with the flocks and by God’s blessing and provision (see Genesis 31:10-12).

Genesis 31:1-21. Such prosperity did not go unnoticed by Laban’s sons, who essentially accused Jacob of stealing from their father. At this point, the Lord Himself intervened and told Jacob to do what Jacob had wanted to do all along: “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” God had been with Jacob all along, as was obvious by the way Jacob had prospered, but there must have been times when Jacob wondered whether God was actually present as he suffered under Laban’s self-centered control.

Jacob distrusted Laban and his family enough to call Leah and Rachel to come out to the fields for a family conference. He presented his case to them of the need to leave the area, saying that their father had continually cheated him, but he affirmed the fact that God had protected him and prospered him in spite of Laban’s efforts to undermine him. Apparently Rachel and Leah felt that their father had misused them as well, since they indicated their own dissatisfaction with the current living arrangements and agreed eagerly to leave and “do whatever God has told you.” So Jacob and his family fled with all they had, heading for the hill country of Gilead. What Jacob did not know was that Rachel had stolen her father’s household gods on her way out of town.

Jacob could have become a bitter man by this point. Although he was a man of wealth, it had not come to him easily, and he had been mistreated by his father-in-law for years. His situation was somewhat similar to that which his descendants would later endure when they spent forty years in the desert waiting to enter the promised land. Jacob might have resonated with what Moses said to the Israelites hundreds of years later: “The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through the vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you and you have not lacked anything.” (Deut. 2:7) Hopefully, in the waiting pattern of life with Laban, Jacob had been aware of God’s presence and had felt His hand protecting and guiding him. Blessing had come to him even in the midst of difficulty.

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A Shepherd Takes a Wife

Genesis 29: 1-30:24. Energized by his divine encounter, Jacob continued on to Padan Aram. As had occurred years before with Abraham’s servant, Jacob made his first contact with his extended family at the village well. One wonders if the male shepherds had been waiting for Rachel to move the heavy stone from the well before watering their flocks! In any case, Jacob greeted Rachel with great emotion and assisted her in watering her sheep.

Jacob was immediately smitten by Rachel’s beauty and negotiated with his uncle to work 7 years to win her hand in marriage. He had not factored in the family tendency to double-dealing. When the day came for his marriage to Rachel, Laban duped him and gave him Leah for a bride instead, stating that in their culture, the second-born did not precede the first in marriage. For an additional 7 years of labour, Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob as well.

One is struck by the docile reaction of Jacob to this turn of events. Perhaps his dramatic encounter with God had begun to soften his rough edges. Laban’s treachery would certainly have reminded Jacob of the behavioural patterns that had occurred in his birth family, in which he had played so dominant a role.

Jacob was confronted as well with the rights of the first-born in this incident. The rights of first-born Leah were used by God to hone the man who had so blatantly disregarded Esau’s first-born rights. Interestingly, the deception of disguise was used in both incidents, no doubt further reinforcing the lesson to Jacob.

Jacob’s marriage to two women, one whom he did not love, resulted in fierce competition between the two sisters. The wife with many sons was considered blessed in this cultural context, and God’s compassion toward Leah’s involvement in a loveless marriage is revealed in her ability to bear sons. Leah herself was aware of God’s blessing and responded to it by naming her first two sons, Reuben (He has seen my misery) and Simeon (One who hears).

Rachel, in spite of her status as the beloved wife, was barren, and consequently envious and spiteful toward her sister. After Leah bore Jacob several children (using her servant as a surrogate mother for some), Rachel finally was blessed with a son, Joseph. The line of Jacob was assured, and his children would become the great nation God had promised.
It is interesting that God allowed Jacob to suffer from the same kind of deception which he had used on others. It is encouraging to see how graciously Jacob accepted the lesson; a sign that even the most ruthless character can be changed by the power of a loving God. The rash and self-serving Jacob was becoming responsible and humble under God’s correcting and instruction. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

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Ladder to Heaven

Gen. 27:30-40. Isaac discovered the terrible deception of his wife and younger son when Esau arrived to be blessed. He trembled violently, enraged no doubt by the duplicity that had duped him. There was no way that Isaac could backtrack and change the situation.

Although Esau tried to shift the blame to Jacob of the loss of his inheritance, he was also at fault. He did not take any of the blame upon himself, although in his cavalier attitude toward the inheritance, he too had been culpable in its loss.

Gen. 27: 41-28:22. In order to protect Jacob from Esau’s rage and expected revenge, Isaac and Rebekah prepared to send him to his Uncle Laban. Rebekah and Isaac had a second reason for wanting to send Jacob to Uncle Laban. They wanted to make sure that he would select a wife from his own people. Isaac and Rebekah had suffered from the intermarriages Esau had made with neighbouring tribespeople and they didn’t want Jacob, the inheritor of the Abrahamic covenant, to marry in the wrong circles. Before sending him off, Isaac again blessed Jacob, this time calling on the name of God Almighty to bestow Abraham’s blessing on Jacob.

Esau reacted to the news of Jacob’s being sent to look for a wife from the extended family by marrying a woman from Ishmael’s tribe. Was he trying to curry favour with his parents? Was he trying to improve a bad situation? Whatever his motives, he dismally failed, since a wife from Ishmael’s family would hardly have been welcomed any more warmly than his previous wives had been welcomed by his parents. I can’t help but feel sorry for Esau who seemed to flounder at every step.

Meanwhile, Jacob on his arduous journey to Laban had an amazing dream of a ladder to heaven and a visitation from God Himself. God came to Jacob with his angels—God’s servant messengers. At a time when Jacob felt particularly lonely and vulnerable, the stairway to heaven would surely have communicated to Jacob that he had access to God’s power and help. At this point in time, God initialized his covenant with Jacob, assured Jacob of his place in the Abrahamic line and also assured him that God would protect and care for him. God enumerated the blessings that Jacob would receive: (1) A relationship with “the God of your forefathers”; (2) land; (3) numerous descendants; (4) they would be a blessing to all the earth; (5) divine protection; and (6) the fulfilment of God’s will in Jacob’s life. It didn’t matter that Jacob had been duplicitous and undeserving; God showed his mercy toward Jacob and affirmed His plans for Jacob.

Jacob’s response to this dramatic incident was: “Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it.” How many times has God been present and actively working, but I have not been aware of His presence and action? Jacob may have been on the run for his life, lonely, and seemingly unprotected, but God was there all the time, actively working out His purposes in Jacob’s life.

Two lessons stand out in this riveting story. First, I am reminded of the strand of God’s mercy and grace that continues throughout Scripture. We do not deserve God’s mercy anymore than Jacob did, but He wants to shower it on us. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Second, I am reminded that, although I may not immediately see the results of God’s action, He is at work in my life, bringing His purposes for me to completion. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

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Family Dysfunction

Genesis 27:1-29. Family dysfunction is a sad, but well-recognized, fact of western culture. There is nothing new under the sun, though, because it would be hard to compete with the dysfunction in Isaac’s Middle Eastern home of centuries ago. One can’t help but wonder what had happened to the love that at least Isaac had for Rebekah (Gen. 24:67) when the details of this story arise.

Blind Isaac prepared to bless his eldest son, Esau, and Rebekah, overhearing the plan, conspired to get the blessing for her favourite son, Jacob. A few questions leap immediately to mind: (1) Since God had already revealed to Rebekah (and presumably she had told Isaac) that Jacob was going to be the heir to the promise (“the older will serve the younger”--Gen. 25:23), was Isaac trying to circumvent God’s plan? (2) If Isaac was not willing to comply with God’s will, what had happened to his earlier close relationship with God? (3) Why would Isaac want to waste the blessing on a son who had previously sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew (Gen. 25:33) and actually despised his birthright (Gen. 25:35)? Scripture doesn’t reveal the answers to these questions. From my own experience, though, I realize that I do not always like God’s plan for me and my loved ones, as much as I like the plans I dream up. I too can easily walk at arm’s length from God, rather than side-by-side, and can get my eye off the goals of God. And love is not rational. Most parents will continue loving their children, even when their behaviour may not warrant that love.

As I reflect on Rebekah’s deceitfulness, it’s not too difficult to understand why Jacob was as deceitful and grasping as he was at this stage of his life. Her conspiracy against Isaac reveals how little she respected him, but is also indicative of her lack of faith. God had promised to bless Jacob above Esau, but she, like Sarah before her, apparently felt that she needed to “help God out”. There is no evidence that Rebekah had any love or compassion for her disabled and aging husband.

Rebekah thought of every detail in this act of treachery against Isaac. Jacob demurred against the plan at first, but not, one notes, because it was wrong, or out of love for his father. He feared, rather, that they would be found out. I cringe as I read this story of ill-treatment of an elderly husband and father. Isaac was totally duped and gave the blessing to his younger son. If Rebekah had trusted God to fulfil his plans for Jacob instead of trying to take things into her own hands, I wonder how God would have brought blessing to His chosen heir? The years of hardship and separation that followed this horrific event would probably not have been necessary.

The lessons in this passage are lessons that I’ve seen before (and repetition is generally the only way I learn!). I need to keep trusting what I believe God has revealed, even if fulfilment seems slow in coming. Taking matters into my own hands will result in total failure, and possibly deep and lasting grief. God will never bless relationships where I work against another to bring my own selfish plans to fruition. I need to rest in Him to bring His plans for my life to fruition.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.

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Meek and Mighty

Genesis 26:12-33. Isaac and Rebekah stayed in Gerar, under the protection of Abimelech, and Isaac prospered. In fact, the text tells us that he planted crops in Gerar and the same year reaped a hundredfold. The secret of his success was clear: “…because the Lord blessed him.” His prosperity actually became a source of jealousy and enmity between him and the Philistines. Anxious to stem the seeming avalanche of blessing, the Philistines took to stopping up the wells that Isaac had inherited from his father.

Abimelech himself asked Isaac to move because he was threatened by the wealth and power of Isaac. In my many readings of the Genesis account, I have never viewed Isaac as powerful or threatening. He has seemed rather like a milquetoast in comparison to his father, but when I read between the lines in this account, I realize I must have missed something. Isaac complied with the request, moved and camped in the Valley of Gerar where he reopened wells from his father’s time.

The whole issue of wells must have been a crucial one for survival in this arid land. Looking at it from the perspective of someone who just has to open the tap to get water, I have to remind myself that wells were essential in this climate and culture. Isaac not only opened his father’s old wells, but his servants discovered a new one which the herdsmen in the area claimed was really theirs. Not only did they claim the new well, they stopped out the old wells. Isaac had to dig two more wells, before the herdsman stopped bullying him and let him live in peace.

God appeared to Isaac again and renewed his promise of protection and blessing. This appearance inspired worship, and the digging of yet another well!

Isaac may have moved out of Abimelech’s neighbourhood, but not far enough apparently. Abimelech came with his personal advisor and the commander of his forces and asked for a peace treaty. They declared that they saw that Isaac was blessed by God, and they wanted him to ensure that he would do them no harm—and they would treat him fairly as well. Why they perceived Isaac as a threat is puzzling since he obviously had avoided conflict with them all along. Obviously, the God behind the man Isaac was a God they feared and respected; they did not want to be on the wrong side of such a power-wielding, person-blessing God. Powerful Isaac did not take offence, but graciously agreed to the pact and welcomed them warmly with a feast. Peace finally reigned between Isaac and Abimelech.

Isaac’s response to the irritations of living in Gerar and the constant persecutions of his neighbours is really amazing. Having been promised God’s goodness, care and protection, he felt no need to defend himself or stand up for his rights. I suppose, from our cultural perspective, he looks totally spineless. The truth is much more likely that, since he could rest on God’s promises, he did not need to fight for his rights. God had prospered him already; he could trust that God would continue to care for him and meet his needs. And God did meet his needs, including supplying yet another well after Isaac drew up the treaty with Abimelech.

Donna Jeffries point out a New Testament parallel that may help us understand and respect Isaac even more. In Paul’s instructions for Christian living (Romans 12), we find a pattern which Isaac modelled. He honoured others above himself (Rom. 12:10). He was patient in affliction (Rom. 12:12). He practiced hospitality (Rom. 12:13). He lived in harmony (Rom. 12:16). He did not repay evil for evil (Rom. 12:17). He tried to live at peace with everyone (Rom. 12:18). He did not take revenge (Rom. 12:19). Isaac may have appeared meek, but he was a mighty man in his relations with his neighbours. Resting on the power and promises of God, he had no need to fight for himself, but could live free from the stress and anxieties of putting himself and his interests first.

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Sin Repeats Itself

A busy schedule has stalled my blogging, but I also have not found the story of Isaac nor Jacob quite as compelling as that of Abraham. Abraham is the spiritual giant in the family saga, but Isaac's and Jacob's lives are instructive as well. So it's time to get back to work, and take a look at Genesis again.

Genesis. 26. Just as his father had been years earlier, Isaac and his family faced famine, and Isaac went to the Abimelech, tribal king of the Philistines. Apparently, he was thinking of travelling further afield--to Egypt, because God intervened and told him not to go to Egypt. At this time, God renewed the Abrahamic Covenant with Isaac, promising him (1) seed, (2) land, (3) a nation, and (4) blessing and protection.

Do certain sins run in families? The whole concept of generational sin is interesting, since Isaac commited the same sin as his father did in regard to his wife. When the men of Gerar took an interest in Rebekah, he said that she was his sister, in an effort to protect himself from harm and possible death.

Upon discovering that Rebekah was actually Isaac's wife, Abimelech was incensed. (Note: It's not likely this is the same Abimelech that Abraham tried to dupe, but it is a man of the same name.) Abimelech's sense of the horror of the sin that his men could have committed against Isaac and his wife was deep and real. His orders to his people were decisive: "Anyone who molests this man or his wife shall surely be put to death." In an era when lust and adultery almost seem passe, Abimelech's reaction is startling. The pagan king seemed to have a much deeper sense of the consequences of sin and the sanctity of the marital union than God's chosen man, Isaac.

Interestingly, Isaac's stumble into sin occurred after what must have been a momentous spiritual occasion for him--the covenant encounter with God. It would be easy to condemn him out of hand. How, we might ask, could someone who had just met God personally, fall prey to sin so easily? We mustn't miss the lesson though. How many times have we experienced points of spiritual apex and victory, only to fall into sin or despair merely days or hours later? Our times of spiritual high may make us more vulnerable to fatigue, temptation, sin and discouragement. At such times, we need to hold on to the fact that spiritual strength does not come from mighty experiences but from God Himself.

2 Corinthians 12:9,10. Therefore, I will boast all the more about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me.

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Isaac's Children

Genesis 25:21-34. It would seem that the story of Isaac should be chronicled immediately following his father’s death, but Moses is in a hurry to tell the more eventful, and perhaps more significant story, of Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Derek Kidner comments that “The succession is so important that the story of the heirs interrupts Isaac’s story.”

Barrenness is again an issue in this family, and Isaac prays that God will give children to Rebekah. Fortunately, he and Rebekah did not have as long to wait for their prayers to be answered as his parents had waited. Rebekah became pregnant, a pregnancy that must have become quite uncomfortable, since the Scriptures describe twin babies “jostling each other within her”. In her discomfort she asked why such a thing was occurring, and God revealed to her that she actually was carrying twins. From her body, two nations would be born, nations that would not be cohesive (“two peoples from within you will be separated”), and incredibly, the younger child would have precedence over the elder.

These twins could not have been more dissimilar. The older son, Esau, was hairy and red, and no doubt, stronger. The second son made his mark on the family situation early, as he grasped his elder brother’s heel as they exited from the womb. Their different natures and interests would not have bound them naturally together. Esau was an outdoor athlete, a hunter who won the favour of his father. Jacob, was quiet and steady, preferring to live in the comfort of the tent community, and he was his mother’s favourite.

Their natures were so different, in fact, that Jacob was able to take advantage of his brother’s weakness. Returning home fatigued and hungry from a day out hunting, Esau was willing to sell his birthright to younger brother, Jacob, for a bowl of stew. The text tells us that “Esau despised his birthright.”

My modern western mind looks askance at what happened here. Jacob decidedly took advantage of his brother’s weak character, and finagled the family inheritance from him. Jacob appears to me to be devious and hateful while Esau appears to be weak and shallow, willing to give up his future to assuage his growling stomach. The birthright that Esau was so ready to relinquish indicated his status as the first-born son and meant the future headship of the family, as well as the eventual inheritance of a double share of the estate (Deut. 21:17). In Esau’s case, though, this inheritance also involved the special covenantal relationship with God that had been initially established with Abraham, and then with Isaac. The promises of God were at the heart of this birthright. Esau’s flippant contempt of God’s promises was at the heart of his willingness to trade them off for a bowl of soup. It seems that Moses regards Esau’s attitude toward the birthright as a far more serious sin than even Jacob’s conniving (Gen. 25:24).

I would like to leave the story as it stands, but of course, I cannot read this passage without thinking of the Doctrine of Election, and Paul’s reference to this story in Romans 9:10-16. Why did God chose to bless Jacob over Esau? What caused Him to exercise His sovereign will so that Jacob became a patriarch of Israel? What does he mean, when Paul writes, in reference to this story, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”? Paul asks the question for me: “Is God unjust?” Both the Genesis account and the Romans commentary clearly indicate that God has the sovereign right to do what He wills. And Paul emphatically says that we do not receive God’s favour and forgiveness on the basis of our own merit. I can live with the fact that God is sovereign and has the right to show mercy to whom He will show mercy, but does He really hate some people? Is He unjust?

This issue was poignantly expressed to me recently by a young philosopher, who said, “What if I’m an Esau?” Theologians have written reams on Romans 9, and argued over Paul’s meaning. I do not have the training nor the inclination to explain the theological intricacies of this passage, but I am thankful for John Stott’s explanation of some of these issues in his commentary on the book of Romans. He writes: “The second Scripture says: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. This bald statement sounds shocking in Christian ears and cannot be taken literally.” Stott goes on to explain that Paul is using the Hebrew tool of antithesis to show preference. He compares it to Jesus’ statement in Luke 14:26 that we cannot be his disciples unless we hate our family members. Jesus does not mean that we are literally to hate our family, but rather, He forbids us to love them more than we love Him. So Paul is using a literary device to say, not that He hated Esau, but that He chose to give precedence to Jacob. Esau himself would receive a blessing, but his descendants would not be God’s chosen people. Professor Doug Stuart points out that the inclusion of Esau’s descendants in Genesis 36 indicates that, although Edom is not God’s chosen nation, the blessings to all nations promised to Abraham in Genesis 12 are available to Edom as well. The listing of Edomites shows, as Stuart says, that “God cares for them too.”

Actually, I find the Doctrine of Election comforting. If my standing with God were based on my merits, I would fall. When I can throw myself on His grace, knowing that He loves me in spite of myself, I can rejoice and worship. There is no way I can completely understand God’s sovereign will in election, but I can rest in the fact that God is full of grace and mercy, and He will not reject the contrite in heart.

Stott says that it is essential to remember two truths in regard to election. (1) Jesus taught the doctrine. “I know those I have chosen.” (John 13:18) (2) “Secondly, election is an indispensable foundation of Christian worship, in time and eternity. It is the essence of worship to say: ‘Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory.’ (Ps. 115:1) If we were responsible for our own salvation, either in whole or even in part, we would be justified in singing our own praises and blowing our own trumpet in heaven. But such a thing is inconceivable…. Why? Because our salvation is due entirely to his grace, will, initiative, wisdom and power.” (Stott, Romans, p. 268)

I do not fully understand God’s ways. But God would not be God if He were not sovereign. Scripture reveals enough of His love and grace for me to trust that He will not make arbitrary choices, but will work out His will in human lives in a way that is just and merciful.

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