148. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. For him, you will be afflicted and then the Lord will give you a heart of flesh.

26 April 2021
His brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. Genesis 25:26

Genesis 25
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 
30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”


Jacob wanted the birthright, he manipulated Esau to be able to take it from the first born.

The name Jacob means deceiver.


From pomeroy.me website/2011/01/why-did-god-bless-jacob-the-deceiver/

In the story of Jacob and Esau, Jacob, the younger twin, uses fraud and cunning to take Esau’s birthright from him. The significance of the birthright in Old Testament times cannot be overemphasised. The end result was Jacob becoming the ancestor of the Israelite people, blessed by God.

And why did God choose Jacob over Esau? We may never know the full reasons, but here are a few thoughts:

God’s decision to bless Jacob is made prior to the children’s birth and prior to their ability to commit a sinful act. In this way, God provides an early demonstration of the principle that his favour is not based on our works.

God foreknew the events that would unfold. Remember that prior to Jacob deceiving his father, it is said of Esau that he “despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34). He had sold it to his brother for some stew (probably not realising that Jacob was in earnest about taking the birthright)."


The Lord dealt with the schemer in Jacob. He went through affliction, having to live far from his family and he was haunted by the grudge of his brother. 

The Lord caused him to suffer a physical defect (Genesis 32:25).

Jacob feared Esau would take revenge, instead his brother ran to him and kissed him (Genesis 33:4).

Jacob had a change of heart, the Lord also changed his name (Genesis 32:28).


Ezekiel 36
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.


In my case, it was subtle, I wanted bragging rights.


My plans were slowly turning to reality. I was feeling good, I had dignity, I was starting to be proud of my self. I had praise for myself. It was slowly drifting to idol worship of self.

Then disaster struck. I had no stable employment for about 5 years at a time when my children were to start college. The capability to provide for my family that I thought all along was in me, was fake. My abilities counted to nothing. Before, as if everything I did was right, instead at that point I did not know what to do. Suddenly, I was ashamed of my self.

1 Timothy 5
8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The Lord afflicted me. In His faithfulness, the Lord afflicted me.

Psalm 119
75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Yes, it was good for me to be afflicted.

Psalm 119
71 It was good for me to be afflicted
    so that I might learn your decrees.


Psalm 118
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.

The Lord restored my life. I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done (Psalm 118:17). Amen.

The Lord afflicted me, and then He put a new spirit in me and gave me a heart of flesh.


"Lord, Jacob the deceiver that he was, You afflicted him and You changed him and his name, then You blessed him - "So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."" (Genesis 32:24-28). Lord, I was wrong and You afflicted me, then You gave me another chance, You restored my life and my spirit; blessed be Your name, in Jesus' name. Amen."

My children's children will someday say, wala ka sa Lolo ko; for him, you will be afflicted and then the Lord will give you a heart of flesh.

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.


Comments

  1. mcgApril 25, 2021 at 10:47 PM

    Yes affliction will soften our hearts and redirect our attention to God and to others and not anymore to ourselves. Would connect it also to having fruits of the Spirit as we are being transformed when we go through grave affliction...love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faithfullness patience and self control.

    May we all be called by another name as we allow God to change our hearts.

    Thank you Picoy aka Picoy Christian for this blog.

    ReplyDelete

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