God Speaks
A Blessing, a Dream, Deception and an Unloved Wife
Verse of the Day: [The LORD God said to Jacob,] “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. . . . I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (Genesis 28:13, 15 NIV)
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We Respond
Reflection.
Consider the following questions regarding Genesis 27-29
> 1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
> 2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Genesis 27
1. It is God who chooses who will be blessed and who will be cursed.
2. Parents sometimes play favorites and pit one child against another as Rebekah and Isaac did..
Genesis 28
1. God can be counted on to make His presence and plans known.
2. People need to be alert, responsive and obedient to God.
Genesis 29
1. God is aware of and concerned about marriages and family life.
2. People long to be appreciated, respected and loved.
Prayer
> 3. How might I pray regarding Genesis 27-29?
Dear gracious and loving God, thank You that You use even our sinful behavior to accomplish Your purposes. In this case, You used Rebekah’s and Jacob’s scheming to give Jacob the blessing of the firstborn instead of Esau. Rebekah’s and Jacob’s deception was wrong and sinful, but You graciously forgave them. Despite this, You do hold people accountable for their actions, and there are natural consequences. Rebekah and Jacob were separated and probably never saw each other again. Please make me aware of my sins so that I can bring them to You for forgiveness and not be separated from You, now or forever. Thank You, Jesus, for suffering, dying, and rising again to make this forgiveness possible. Thank You that Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. He is in charge. Thank You, LORD, for blessing me in so many ways and that You always keep Your promises. Thank You that I am part of Your bride and that You provide for, protect, and love me. Help me to tell others that You will do the same for them if they will receive the truth and trust You. Please help me to keep all the promises I make to You and other people. Father God, thank You for caring for our marriages and family lives. Thank You for guiding people to their prospective spouses, especially when they pay attention to and obey You. Please draw people to the spouse You have for them and help them to recognize whether someone would be Your choice for them or not. Please help men to be good providers and protectors for their wives and children. Help wives to fit in with their husbands’ plans, especially when the men are trying to follow You. May they each seek to build each other up in Christ and serve other people. May they both complement and compliment each other. May parents be careful and aware of the meaning of the names they choose for their children. May parents look to You for how they should raise and discipline their children. Help children to honor their parents as You instruct us in the ten commandments and other places in scripture. Please empower all believers in Christ to be faithful, enthusiastic, and inventive in their workplaces, carrying out the directives of the Holy Spirit even in the secular world or under opposition or oppression. Please help me to reflect Jesus in every situation. For the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit and in Jesus’ holy and powerful name. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
> 4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Genesis 27-29? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will ask the LORD to help me to orgive someone who has deceived me.
- I will humbly ask the LORD to appear to me in a dream or vision.
- I will give God a tithe whether I think He has protected and provided for me or not.
- I will talk with a young person about what to look for in picking a husband or wife. I will pray with and for them in this regard.
Share
I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.