The Lord tells us that His ways are unlike ours, but we...in many cases, behave as if we are God. "His ways are perfect." (2Sam.22:31) They are, "..the way of wisdom" (Prov.2:20); His path is, "...the way of holiness" (Isa.35:8) We are none of those things. God's way is, "the way of excellence" (1 Cor.12:31). In it we are provided to means to "escape" from sin & death. (1Cor.10:13) That way is Jesus. (John.14:6) ...and there is no other!
I was reading in Genesis the other day, the story of the great famine, where Josephs brothers come to Egypt seeking food. It occurred to me that if the humans in this story were to have had their own way, things would have turned out much differently. God had a plan to bless and build through the younger, and even the machinations of his jealous siblings couldn't keep that plan from being fulfilled. Even Joseph, who was himself the younger, later had to be shown God's will for blessing to be bestowed not on his eldest, as was the tradition, but once again the younger.
Jacob knew God's plan. It had been revealed to him, and he continued to live according to what the Lord had shown him, even as he drew his last breath. Why? Because Jacob knew that his human perspective was incomplete, clouded with sin & coloured by the fallen world around him. So, he depended on the only thing that he knew for sure. God's perfect plan, His wise, holy & excellent plan.
Father, give me the wisdom of Jacob, that I may not presume to know better than you, the obedience of Jacob...to act according to what you have revealed to me, and the courage to witness to others the wonderful truth that You really do know better!
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