Posted in Bible Study

It is time for our Women's Bible Studies to begin again tomorrow and I am so excited. We are starting a New Study (one that has been around for a while you may have done it) "Loved By God" by Liz Curtis Higgs. It is a wonderful Old Testament Study about Jacob, Esau, Rachel and Leah. There is so much in this to learn about family dynamics. Spiritual Family as well as Physical family.

As I was doing my homework today there was a section of verse comparison between what Isaac said and what Rebekah Said He said.

Gen 27 :4 has Isaac telling Esau this "And prepare me appetizing meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat of it, [preparatory] to giving you my blessing [as my firstborn] before I die."

Verse 7 has Rebekah telling Jacob this "Bring me game and make me appetizing meat, so that I may eat and declare my blessing upon you before the Lord before my death."

Do you see the difference? It is subtle but we all do it. We find away to put God's stamp of approval in what we are doing, on what we are saying. 

Rebekah knew it was wrong to eavesdrop and wrong to interfere with God's plan, but she did it anyway. She knew God's promise to her concerning Jacob but saw it slipping away. Knowing that if she brought God into it Jacob would be more willing to go along with her idea, she reminded Jacob this was a binding blessing before God. An idea filled with deception. Deception is a subtle turning of the truth the oft times is not recognised. Isaac did not recognise the deception that was being presented to him as truth. Jacob said He was Esau so Esau He must be. Even though he was confused about the voice, the timing, he chose to believe the lie because his loved ones would not deceive him. But they did!

Does God need our help to get His plans Fulfilled? Did He need Rebekah to do this so He could make  sure Jacob got the blessing? How often are our prayers filled with plans on how God can best fulfill my needs. God I need ....maybe you could , or perhaps you might...or maybe we could. God NEVER does things the way I want Him to do it. But He always does what is best for me.

Our intentions are good, we want what's best for those we care about, we believe we are doing what is best. But is it what God wants. It may be good advice, it may even be scriptural advice, but is it ours to give? Cannot the Holy Spirit do His job without us doing His job for Him? Can He do His job if we are doing His job? Perhaps if Rebekah had waited on God, Jacob's path might have been different.

I found myself doing this very thing the other day. I was concerned about the direction she is heading. I felt giving her my advice would be beneficial to the choices she is making. It was scriptural. But I did not ask God if He wanted me to say anything . So I went ahead and discovered that she wasn't at all open to what I was saying. My timing was wrong and her heart was not accepting to even consider what I was saying could be true. Timing is everything. Getting God's go ahead is everything. Being thankful that GOD can do it without my help....PRICELESS!

Our Best Sources of Wise counsel is The Word of God and God's People, this is true. But counsel is also something that must be asked for otherwise it is interference. Just ask Jacob.

Aren't you thankful that we can learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of those the Lord has shown us in His Word to instruct us? God is faithful and His Ways truly are above our ways and He will fulfill His promises to us. HIS WAY! After all, He is the WAY!