God of Jacob

I’ve tried writing this post many times, but every time I try, I write too much and lose focus of what I am trying to say. There is just so much to learn from Jacob, but I’ll try my best to stay focused on one point for this post.

You guys, Jacob was a terrible person. I couldn’t believe what I was reading when I reread Genesis. I guess I didn’t pay much attention the first time around, because I was so shocked. Like, to the point where I had to stop and process what Jacob just did, and this wasn’t like a “selah” moment in Psalms, either. This was like put the Book down, breathe a little, and have a serious discussion with the Lord.

Jacob was a cheater, manipulator, liar, and he was arrogant. It’s not like him taking the birthright from Esau was his only mess up. Nope, this was his lifestyle. He even conspired with his mother to take Esau’s blessing from their dad Isaac!

It wasn’t only Jacob’s behavior that freaked me out. It was how still, even after all the bad Jacob committed, God blessed him. Throughout Jacob’s life, he did wrong, but also throughout his life, he was continuously blessed. The promise God gave Abraham and Isaac wasn’t made void because of Jacob’s behavior. To this day, we call God, “the God of Jacob,”

But that’s not even the part that made my jaw hit the floor. It was how I every time I read yet another manipulative act committed by Jacob and God didn’t smite him, but instead blessed him, I kept thinking of all the people I know who are exactly like Jacob- they do wrong all the time, yet they are still incredibly blessed. Then, it was like a mirror was held in front of me and I realized how I am like Jacob. I am the worst person in the world. I have committed my fair share of wrongs, yet God doesn’t smite me. He blesses me. He gives me favor. He protects me. *Picks up jaw from floor*

You see, it doesn’t matter what we do, or what others do. I forget that. It’s all up to God. We do not earn anything. We are not owed anything. God freely gives. It is not up to us; not one bit!

Guys, He is God. Who are we to decide what He does and to whom He does it?

The name “God of Jacob” perfectly displays the powerful, loving, merciful, and full of grace nature of our God. It reminds us that we are covered by and completely dependent on a faithful God who loves us without condition.