God's Exceptional Choice
God Calls Abraham's Family
Jacob Called Israel
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
Genesis 27:18-29 New International Version18 He went to his father and said, “My father.” “Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.” 20 Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied. 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.” 22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him. 24 “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked. “I am,” he replied. 25 Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.” Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.” 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field
that the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you heaven’s dew
and earth’s richness—
an abundance of grain and new wine.
29 May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.”
For Reflection
The Bible is full of examples in which God seems to pick a favorite: Abel (not Cain), Sarah (not Hagar), Israel (instead of all the nations of the world). Abel dies while Cain lives. Hannah is ridiculed for her barrenness and suffers bitterly for it. As children of God and followers of Jesus, we have been chosen as well, and not because we earned it.
Yes, Jacob may have been a scoundrel, a trickster, but God set everything right.
Pray Pray and meditate on the humanness of this story. Pray that you like Jacob will live for the Glory of God despite what you have done or not done. Thank God for the opportunity to serve God and humanity.
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