So Jacob went over and kissed him. And when Isaac caught the
smell of his clothes, he was finally convinced, and he blessed his son. He
said, “Ah! The smell of my son is like the smell of the outdoors, which the Lord has blessed!
Genesis 27:27 NLT
This week, I read the account in Genesis 26:17-27:46 when Rebekah encouraged Jacob to steal Isaac's blessing from Esau.
I noticed how many opportunities they both had to turn around and stop sinning:
·
Slaughtering animals
·
Preparing a stew
·
Preparing animal skins
·
Dressing
Jacob up in Esau's clothes
·
Laying
goat skins on Jacob so he would feel hairy
·
Carrying
the food to Isaac
·
Lying
to Isaac three times, even bringing God into it (27:20)
·
Kissing
Isaac--the last chance to tell the truth. (Just like Judas betrayed Jesus with
a kiss.)
If you know the story of Jacob and Esau, this is the
point when everything unraveled. Decades of strife and misery followed. It
reminds me a little of the first sin in the Garden of Eden--Adam and Eve really
had no clue what destruction they were causing.
Sin makes us sick. It always causes more damage than
we expect. It always creates more damage down the road, and it nearly always
spills over onto others.
BUT GOD.
God gave Jacob several new chances after this dark
episode. He wrestled with him in the wilderness. He refined Jacob's spirit with
hard work and suffering. He protected Jacob from harm at Esau's hand, and
eventually brought them back together in peace.
Jacob didn't deserve another chance. But God blessed
him richly. God made Jacob the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, who
became God's chosen family.
What an incredible honor!
If you're like me, you've had times in your life when
you had many moments to change your mind before you sinned. To back up. To turn
away. To flee. But you kept pushing forward to get what you wanted. Then you
realized the pleasure was short-lived, and you suffered much longer than you
ever thought possible in that moment.
BUT GOD.
He is your Redeemer. He has washed your sins in the
blood of the Lamb, Jesus. He is the God Of Second Chances. He has greater
things in store for you, more than you can dream!
In this text, we can see the importance of obedience.
We can see what God expects of us, and we can see the costs of not obeying him.
If we obey the first time, we avoid those long-lasting, heartbreaking
consequences of sin. May this devotion inspire you to walk a path of obedience.
Questions for you:
Can you relate to Jacob's story? Has God given you a
second chance that you didn't deserve?
What is the best BUT GOD story in your life?
What specific steps are you taking to walk in
obedience to God this weekend?
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Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings and God's peace to you,
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