The last couple of readings in Genesis have been somewhat entertaining for me. I feel like I am watching a good soap opera or drama. Now that work and campus ministry is back in session for me, my updates will be more thoughts about the readings and some general nuggets and I hope you will continue to share yours as well. The one consistent theme that I see is the promise of God that originally was with Abraham consistently reinforced to his children as well. God is always faithful to his promise; it is us that sometimes aren’t. God promised Abraham that through his seed a great nation would form (Israel) and eventually the Messiah. Even when God makes promises, we can lack faith in them. Jacob and his mother Rebecca felt it was necessary to deceive Isaac in order to get the blessing and inheritance when God had already promised it to him! This was not necessary. God is sovereign and will hold to his word despite our sin. God still kept his promise but there would be consequences to Jacob’s decisions to practice deceit. His name can also mean “deceives” and it show that this was a pattern sin that became his character. It led to hiding from Esau, flattery, shame, and strife amongst brothers. It made me think of my life at times and how deceit was so much a part of who I was without God. Deceit is always a by-product of a deeper sin. It is simply used to cover something up. It doesn’t necessarily have to be telling a direct lie, but can come in the form of presenting to someone something that isn’t what it really is. Is there sin in your life that you are covering up by practicing deceit? Consider 1 John 1:5-10. If we claim we do not have sin and come to church acting as if everything is great, we practice deceit. I remember hearing an old saying long ago “what goes around comes around.” Jacob’s sin would come back to haunt him. Laban would deceive and manipulate Jacob in order to get him to work for him a total of 14 years in return for his two daughters. Jacob was under the impression that he would only have to work seven years for Laban’s daughter Rachel and ended up with Leah. There is a spiritual law that I have noticed, what goes around comes around. Jacob practiced deceit and now he became the deceived and these consequences would break him to become a more godly man. I can remember hiding a certain sin and deceiving someone who was very close to me and it shattered that person. Later on that same year I was deceived by someone close who hid an even more intense sin and it shattered me. As hard as this experience was this story came to mind and I was grateful to God because I learned how sin hurts other people, especially deceit. For you personally, are you learning from the consequences of your sin? These are just some quick reflections on the readings. I will post some interesting theological points very soon. Tithing is another theme we have seen in the readings I want to write about. Have a great Friday the 13th!
MP
Mike Patterson Ministries 