Day 3: Gen 28:20 - 40:11 - Thoughts from Miriam (they are always worth hearing)

Today we returned from our stay in the Netherlands, and Miriam was much more on the ball than I was, so I am summarising her observations here (I may eventually ask her permission).

"Today's reading shows that no matter how godly parents are, there is no guarantee that their children will follow in the right path (In support of this look at Samuel and his ungodly sons - Ed.)

"This shows that God will bless who He wants to bless and it is really not down to us, and can seem to be irrespective of our behaviour. He has a plan and His plan will not be thwarted. Isaac and Jacob were not a patch on Abraham as far as following God closely, yet God chose to bless them and confirm His covenant with them."

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My thoughts were how Jacob seemed to change in some ways. The deceiver, who tried to turn over a new leaf, becomes indignant when Laban tricks him, yet he willingly tells Esau he will follow him, when he has no intention of doing so. Then we see the changing of name in ch32, which must rank as one of the most surreal episodes in the bible. Michael Card sums it up thus:

He limped away on holy ground awakened from the dream
Having learned his costly lesson from the way of the Nazarine
That pain's the path to blessing love will fight us to be found
and God remains a dream to those who sleep on holy ground

When we read about Judah's antics, it makes you realise what unpromising material God had to work with, and yet He still stays faithful to His word. This is an encouraging thought.