CONFLICTED
Press In To Press On #15
Mark Geppert
Jacob was conflicted. Like most conflicted people, he fled. Encouraged by his mother, he left his father and brother and fled to the fields of Uncle Laban. What Jacob did not recall was you can not flee from the call of God. He will pursue. He will cause events to happen. He will move heaven and earth to find you, no matter what cave you chose, ship you sail, road you ride, He is everywhere and will not leave you.
God spoke to Jacob in a dream. He saw a ladder from heaven and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. God appeared in the dream and identified Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac. God reiterated the promise of the land, and the promise of the descendants being as the stars and sand and the all nations blessing, and then God gave the individual rhema to Jacob, “I am with you and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land: for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Gen. 28:15-16)
Jacob is headed on quite a journey to resolve the conflict within his own heart. But God has given him a promise that will sustain him through many trials. His first steps were to establish the place with a pillar and a declaration of name change, from Luz to Bethel. But, but his declaration began with the word common to all who are in conflict, “If.”
“If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my Father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me, I will give tenth to you.” (Gen. 28:20-22)
“If-Then” is not the way of the Lord. Faith believes that He is and is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Jesus told Nathan that the ladder was Himself. (John 1:51) God appeared to Jacob in a dream and showed Him the Way to heaven, the ladder upon which the angels ascend and descend and yet, Jacob asked for more. In a word he said, “Prove Your word to me, if what you have said comes to pass, then I will believe and even give you a generous offering.” (Gen. 28:22)
God does not want an offering from Jacob, He wants Jacob.
God, who is patient and kind, whose mercy is greater than His wrath, is going to walk with Jacob, the thief, liar, deceiver, and arrogant challenger until He becomes Israel, “yielded to God.” This journey is going to involve a harvest in deception and duplicity in proportion to Jacob’s seed sown. Uncle Laban is going to be the instrument of instruction. Jacob will prosper as the Lord is with him. But, in the end, they will wrestle until God prevails.
Avoid conflict by saying “Yes” to God today. He has called you with a special calling, unique to you alone. He has designed the way for you to walk in it and prosper as the agent of His will in your sphere of influence. Let Him build through your submission. Let His word come to pass through you. Don’t negotiate a contract, prosper in a covenant. His hand is upon you for good. He takes pleasure in your prosperity. Be Israel today.
Press In 2 Press On.
Mark
