BSF Genesis: Week 21, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
a.
Obeyed his father and mother

b.
swore oath to God, Built altar to become God’s house, tithed

c.
served 7 years for Rachel but seemed like only a few days because of his love for her

d.
God was with him, blessed him, protected him, took from those who cheated

e.
Prayed, trusted in God for protection and salvation

12.
a.
Faith – God rewards those who earnestly seek him

b.
Patriarch – the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.  Inheritence not only of father, but of God, chosen to be his own, a trasured possession

13.
What good is it to me, married pagan wives (to the grief of his parents) Polygamist, married a granddaughter of Ishmael because she wasn’t Canaanite.

My Daily Journal:

First, to clear something up (or not).  My view on Esau’s marriage to the grand daughter of Ishmael is evidently different than many of the others in my discussion group based on answers.  I saw it as just another knee-jerk response rather than a slap in the face to his parents.  He learned they didn’t like Canaanite wives, so he was bent on marrying the first available non-Canaanite woman he could find.  Who else was around but the descendents of Ishmael?

Second, and this is a special prayer request, this whole thing about spiritual inheritance is a very important message particularly for the kids in my group.  I’m blessed to work with middle-school kids this year.  The idea that their actions speak for more than just themselves is a very, very important concept and one, frankly, they don’t get.  When God says, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, this tells me that Jacob’s behavior, the way he is viewed by others, is not simply a reflection on him, but it is a reflection on his father, his grandfather and his God.

Is any less true for us?  When we mis-behave or act inappropriately, what message does that send about my father, grandfather and God?  When I look at my actions and decisions and behavior in that light, does it change the way I act.

In preparing for my lecture I made the statement “the choices we make reveal the person that we are.  If we wish to be someone else, the path is simple… make different choices.”  This isn’t meant to say that we need to rely on our own strength and judgment, but sometimes we make things out to be far bigger than they are.  God has the strength to support us on any right path… but the choice is ours.

Am I looking at my immediate wants and desires, or am I looking at how my decisions reflect the character of my father, grandfather and God?  I might have made a few better decisions in my life had I kept this in mind earlier!

Again, if you are reading this, I would ask your prayers for the delivery of this message to the middle school children, particularly the young men.  I ask that their hearts be open to feeling the burden of this, not in a negative way, but in an empowering way.  They have been gifted with a family name and a God who deserves their best behavior and their best decisions!