Jacob had a problem with manipulating his circumstances to get what he wanted. When his brother Esau was starving, instead of just feeding him, he thought to himself that this was a prime opportunity to get what he really wanted, the birthright! So he said, “I will give you some food if you give me your birthright.” Esau, glibly gave it away for a bowl of beans. Years later when Jacob’s father, Isaac, is dying, he calls for his firstborn, Esau, to impart the final blessing. Jacob wanted the blessing so he disguised himself as his brother (his father had gone blind), and deceived him into thinking he was Esau, and was given the blessing.
There are patterns to sin as people become more and more comfortable with it. But the biggest problem comes when they think they can manipulate God. We see this transformation in Jacob.
In Genesis 28:20-21, Jacob states his conditions for following God. “IF God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking, and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, THEN the Lord will be my God.”
But only 4 chapters later in Genesis 32, Jacob has a face to face confrontation with God. They literally wrestle and God dislocates Jacob’s hip. Jacob learned a hard lesson that HE doesn’t set the conditions for how God will bless him, God does. His manipulation was turned into submission. The Lord said to him (as they wrestled), “It is daybreak, let this stop”, but Jacob replied, “I will not let You go unless You bless me” (vs 26). Jacob was literally clinging on to God for dear life, as he finally understood there is only One Source of blessing.
Friends, God longs to bless His children, but He won’t be manipulated into anything that leads people to believe that they can use God like their genie in a bottle. People say that God didn’t answer their prayers… the bigger question is are we clinging to God? Or are we telling God, “I will follow You if….”
God won’t tolerate a conditional love. He is Lord over all.
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