As The Tide Turns

Reading the story of Jacob’s life is one of fascinating intrigue filled with twists and turns that often leaves someone scratching their head trying to figure out who this guy is. I mean for all of his issues, God still chose him. A liar, a cheat, a coward and just an all around loser, by religious standards. But a few key events took place that changed his destiny.
An encounter with God when he ran from his brother Esau. An encounter with God when he was on his way back to his brother Esau. Anyone else notice a pattern here? The biggest obstacle in our lives that can deter us from our destiny is often the thing that we are running from and then what we have to run back to face that will change us. God blessed him when he was at his father in law, Laban’s, house. Of course there was a little mischief on his part, but some would call it good business sense….I like the latter….and he became prosperous and gave all the glory to God. Then he feels it is time to leave because God is leading him home, back to where Esau was. He had to face his failures, his lies and his problems he left behind. The reality was though that God had already paved the way for him. So on the way he meets God face to face and he is so sick of who he is that he demands a blessing. He was already rich so I would entertain that he wasn’t asking for material blessing. I believe he was asking for a blessing of renewal in his relationships. They were all so messed up. Can you imagine marrying sisters and having the infighting he did???? And then he ducked out on his father in law and didn’t even tell him he was moving. Ran from his mother and father’s house, man sounds like a soap opera! But God changes his nature as he wrestled with him and it is recognized by the name change from Jacob to Israel and the rest….Esau loves him and welcomes him and then several years later or Genesis 36, Esau moves out of the land of promise and it is Israel’s to have. God always makes a way, but are you running away from your promise right now or back to your promise regardless of the issues you know you have to face?