The Disappointment of Deception | A SOAP devotional, By Pastor Jamie

 

 

Read Genesis 29 Genesis 29 NLT - Jacob Arrives at Paddan-Aram - Then - Bible Gateway   Genesis 29:25-27- Genesis 29:25-27- But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?” “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. “But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.”

The deceiver has now become the deceived, and Jacob is engaged by the consequences of his uncle (and by then father-in-law) manipulation. Jacob hadn't troubled himself with the incredible level of deception he planned with his mother to snatch his father's blessing away from his brother, Esau. Perhaps he remembers the rage Esau felt in the moment he realized he had been taken advantage of in such an underhanded manner. Laban, who took advantage of Jacob to get an additional commitment of seven more years of labor out of him, was deeply disappointed, but God hadn't stopped working through his new circumstances. Could it be that God is teaching Jacob something essential that he couldn't receive without this experience? What he (and we!) can trust is that God wants him (and us) to be prepared for what else He has in store for us. I suspect there were many opportunities over this 14-year period where Jacob stopped to remember and appreciate the dream God gave him in the previous chapter. He could cling to the moment where God met him and promised His ongoing presence, protection, and blessing.

The sin and deception that occur time and time again in Genesis are never God's prescribed or preferred plan, but the Lord keeps on working- even then- to fulfill His end of the covenant. There must have been plenty of occasions when Jacob scratched his head and through, "I'm sure glad gave me that wonderful dream to remember through everything I'm facing now!" Guess what? There would be more difficulties, trials, and grief on his journey, and God was consistently and faithfully with him working out the fullness of His promises. There will be times when it's hard for us to see what God is up to, but it's not that God is a marionette puppet master pulling our strings; rather it's that we can learn something through everything. As we look back over the trajectory of our lives, we can better understand some of our most difficult and painful moments led to God forming us more in His image. How has God walked with you through challenging times and helped you receive a blessing that would have been impossible for you to experience without the difficult journey?

Dear Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for being an amazing Creator, a grace-filled Redeemer, and a blessing giving Sustainer. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the ways You are working in our lives today and every day, even when things appear to be going in the wrong direction. Help us remember we can't have a better past, but we can move into Your glorious and preferred future as we get more and more connected to You. Help us to trust that- no matter what- You are actively on our side through it all. Amen.

 

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." (Romans 5:3-4),

 

Pastor Jamie