All of us are waiting for God's blessings in one area or another, or as a whole, like Jacob. Jacob was a man who deceived his own brother and thought of acquiring the prophecies about him by stealing from his brother. Was life easy for him when he got it? No. He married a beautiful woman he fell in love with. Was life happy after that? No. His beautiful wife's prayer for a child was denied for a long time while poor Leah's prayer was answered. Rachel suffered along with him with barrenness until God answered her prayers for a child. Did their joy last after the birth of their children? She died soon after giving birth to their second child. So the answer is a big No. Every man feels honored when they are able to provide for their family on their own. Was that the case with Jacob? If you see Genesis 30:30, the answer is sadly another No. The verse goes like this: "But now what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?" What a painful life Jacob was leading. His life was tuned in such a way that all his hard work went to Laban. Jacob was a man who was blown in every way.
How can we expect such a man to be quiet before God?He was tired of fighting for everything with his tricks. Jacob knew all his tricks on Esau, Rachel, and Laban went in vain. He now understood one can truly enjoy blessings when God intervenes. That was the case with his ancestors. Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully before God.
He just fought with God to receive a blessing from Him. Can you imagine fighting with God throughout the night? We cannot win against God. A full stop to that question. How weary this man must have felt and how determined he was to seek God's blessings in such a way. God in turn gave this man great blessings. God changed his crooked ways and blessed him with a new name.
His whole family changed after this encounter with God. He called God and named the place "Face of God." Later in chapter 33 verse 10, he saw his brother's smile and called that moment as seeing the face of God. (Thankfully, God gave him favor in Esau's eyes.) Peace came to Jacob. The next thing we can see is him providing for his family. He got a land and named it El-Elohe Israel (God, The God of Israel).
In the next chapter, we can see him and his family throw away every idol they had and turn towards God. Genesis 35:3 goes like this: "I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone."After these events, God gave Jacob what he was longing to receive from God. In Genesis 35:11, God says, "I am El-Shaddai—God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply."
Before everything in Jacob's life became Yes, Yes, Yes from No, No, No, he and his whole family had to go through a big cycle of change of heart, devotion, and ways.
Are we tired like Jacob? Are we fighting Him in desperation? Let God change us and our families.
Dear God, may our ways be pleasing to You. Intervene in our lives to bless us, to increase us. May all the sad, tiresome No's become Yes's in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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