From Grabber to Giver

When Jacob met God in a dream on a lonely road, God laid down the foundation for building a bridge for a different lifestyle. This encounter was the beginning of God’s transforming him from being a selfish grabber into being a giver. He promised God to give a tenth of all he would earn as a symbol of his faith.

 

God promised to protect and prosper Jacob, and that promise would be remembered the remainder of his life. Jacob had nothing to show for the past forty years, so when he was tricked into marrying Leah, his uncle's oldest daughter instead of Rachel, the girl he loved, he could accept this hardship because he believed God’s promise.

 

By focusing on God’s promise, Jacob turned an obstacle into an opportunity and did so with integrity, intelligence and honesty. Jacob committed his life to God, and God honored his commitment. Jacob made mistakes, but when he remembered his covenant with God, he was able to pick up and go forward, knowing God would bless him. What covenant have you made with Christ Jesus?

Crisis! Redemption or Stagnation?

Jacob, the youngest son of Rebekah and Isaac spent decades honing his skills in manipulating, deceiving, and being a fraud. Jacob needed redemption but was reluctant to accept it. He would have to experience severe crises to make the transition. Genesis 28 presents his first major crisis. With his mother’s help, he stole his brother’s blessing.

 

To escape Esau’s plan to kill him, Jacob’s mother sent him to Haran to live with her brother. On the way he stopped for the night, lay down to sleep and had a dream that proved to be the beginning of his redemption. It was his first personal encounter with the Lord God. A severe crisis can weaken a person’s resistance to God’s intervention.

 

The issue is that God intervenes even when we’re undeserving and have severely messed up our lives. As Jacob slept, he dreamed God spoke a message of reassurance and hope to him, a chance for a new beginning with a clear conscience. God gave him the opportunity to build a bridge to a different lifestyle, and he will do that for you.