Genesis 27.13 13 But his mother replied, “Then let the
curse fall on me, my son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for
me!” (NLT)
Lest we fool ourselves into believing that our faith
ancestors were without fault, all we need do is read the account of how Jacob
took the paternal blessing from Esau by pretending to be Esau. The irony –
really!
In Genesis 25 Isaac’s wife Rebekah finds that she is
pregnant with twins and the babies in her womb jostle violently. She asks God
about it and God says, “The sons in your
womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be
rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will
serve your younger son.” (Ge. 25.23) Rebekah clung to that word for very
life – it framed her perspective of her boys and she felt especially drawn to
the younger son. Just sayin’…
Genesis 27 is the account of how Rebekah made sure the
paternal blessing of Isaac fell to Jacob, the younger and not Esau the elder.
Rebekah took matters into her own hands and when Jacob called her on it she
said: “Then let the curse fall on me, my
son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!” Rebekah was sure her plan was going to work –
she staked her life on it.
There is much to learn from this passage about the
dysfunctions of our earliest faith parents. Their faith, like ours, was holey
sometimes, faulty at times, and downright deceptive at other times. They helped
God out (they thought). We today are no different than they were then – we too
are helpers of God. It’s not rocket science – God doesn’t need our help. He
didn’t need theirs then and He doesn’t need ours now.
Interestingly, God
factors our help into the fulfillment of His plans. He doesn’t condone our
help, but likewise, it doesn’t stop Him from doing what He has planned to do.
Usually our helping God out leads to more wrangling and deceiving on our part in
order to get free from the consequences of the help we’ve provided to God. What
a vicious circle.
Today, I am aware of times I’ve helped God. I think of
times when I’ve done the most insane knee-jerk things in order to help God help
me. How embarrassed I am. I sit here today at this computer wishing things were
different but acknowledging despite my best efforts, God is still in control of
His plans for me.
God didn’t need Rebekah’s help. Had she not done what she
did, the elder still would’ve served the younger. I need to remember that. I’m
to cooperate in that light. And I’m to give over all of my plans and schemes for
success to the Lord, and let Him be God.
Father, for all of the times then and now when I’ve helped
You out, I am sorry. I’m sorry for the people I’ve hurt and for the messes I’ve
made. Today, I do need Your help, and only Your help. Find in me a humiliated
but cooperative spirit, and help me to deny the schemer inside by nailing him
to a cross to die a criminal’s death. I need You Lord! Amen.
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