Tag: Obedience

When God is My God

~ Sowmya Gali ~ 2 Comments

Genesis 27: 20

Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord Your God caused it to happen to me.”

Jacob, when he was about to deceive his father Isaac, lied about his identity. Isaac, in his old age, relied on his touch and smell than his hearing. Jacob was familiar with the God of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. At this juncture, he was yet to acknowledge God. He must have heard stories about the faith of his grandfather Abraham and all the wonderful things God had done in his life. He also must have been familiar with his own father Isaac’s relationship with God. Isaac was a living testament of God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises to both Esau and Jacob. Yet, both of them failed to acknowledge God.

When Isaac sat up to eat the game that Esau was supposed to cook and bring, Jacob, disguised himself in his brother’s clothing and offered the meal to his father. Suspiciously, Isaac questioned Jacob how he was able to find the game so quickly. In order to not expose himself he boldly told Isaac that Isaac’s God gave him success. Not Jacob’s God but Isaac’s God. This statement clearly indicates that Jacob was familiar with God Almighty and His ways. Yet, Jacob didn’t believe in Him.

Genesis 28: 20-22

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.

Jacob is on the run after deceiving his father Isaac and robbing Esau of his rightful blessing. Esau had vengeance on his mind. Rebekah urged Jacob to flee to Paddan-Aram to her brother’s house until situation calmed down. Jacob, while fleeing from Esau’s anger, he rested at a place called Luz, where he took a stone for a pillow. He sees the stairway to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. The Lord introduced Himself that He is the Lord of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. He promised him that He will watch over him where he goes and will bring him back to his father’s house. The Lord stood above and declared to him that the place where he was sleeping will be his. Just witnessing the dream, Jacob was in awe. He remembered how his father Isaac built altars whenever God spoke to him.

It is interesting to know that God doesn’t ask Jacob to obey Him. He just pronounced the promise that He will bless Him, unconditionally. What favor rested on Jacob! Jacob, on the other hand, instead of claiming that promise and believing in God, places a condition before God. His obedience or acknowledgment of God was conditional. If God blesses him, then he will believe and follow him.

Many of us are like Jacob. Despite God’s promises, His faithfulness, His provision, His blessings, His protection, we still place conditions before Him. If God solves my problem, then I will believe. If God takes me out of my trial, then I will follow him. We have witnessed numerous times how God always remained faithful but we fail to recognize His faithfulness. On the contrary, we place conditions before him.

Despite, Jacob’s arrogance, God was with him. He waited patiently, until Jacob realized that God was truly on his side. A deceiver, when deceived by his father-in-law Laban, understood the pain of being wronged. A once ruthless negotiator, when negotiating with Laban, was cheated out of fair wages. He must have realized the unfair way he negotiated his birthright with Esau for a bowl of stew. He now found himself running again away from Laban. He also realized that if he returned to his father’s house, Esau would kill him.

Jacob was at the crossroads of his life. If he turned to Paddan-Aram, Laban will not spare him and take away all his possessions, including his wives and children. If he forged ahead and returned to Canaan, Esau would kill him and his family and seize all his possessions. While he was agonizing, he wrestled with God. At this juncture, he didn’t let go of God. The God of Abraham and Isaac, now became the God of Jacob.

God changed Laban’s heart after God warned him not to harm Jacob. After God’s intervention with the situation with Laban, Jacob realized that he was at the mercy of Esau. However, God changed Esau’s heart as well. Two long lost brothers now embraced despite the animosity and past hurt. Jacob realized that when God became His God, situations turned favorable to him. When He realized that the God of his fathers was on his side, He worshipped Him.

Genesis 33: 29-30

Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob named that place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

Dear Saint of God, we may not wrestle with God and see Him face to face like Jacob. Are we conditionally acknowledging God? Or are we loving, Him, obeying Him unconditionally, just for who He is? Are we worshipping Him for who is or for what He can do for us? Let us lay aside our conditions and let us love Him and follow Him because He is our God. Let us make God our God because there is none like Him.

Closet Faith

Featured ~ Sowmya Gali

Matthew 5: 14 – 16

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

When we become a born-again Christian, as we take our first baby steps in faith, we are eager to shout from the rooftops about our Lord, His goodness, His majesty and His faithfulness. As we continue to walk in faith, the initial fire slowly fades and we slip into a monotonous routine: attending church, doing some volunteer work, charity and some other good works. Yes, it is important that we continue to walk in faith, do all the right things but it is vital that we keep the flame alive in us.

Jesus Christ lit the fire in us when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. There comes a point in our lives that we should realize if the fire that is lit within us is purifying us from within while shining brightly for the Lord. His cleansing fire should burn away every dross, every thing that is of the world while the Lord is perfecting us into His Son’s likeness. While we are in this perpetual stage of refinement, we should ensure that we continue to shine before the world and not be a closet Christian. Are we a useful instrument in His hands?

Many of us have settled into a mediocre style of walking with the Lord. We are not eager to shine for Jesus as we did in our initial days. We don’t live in expectation that God is going to do something wonderful if we submit ourselves to Him. We are not curious as to what adventure the Lord is going to take us at the next bend. We shield ourselves from the world, put our head down and forge ahead thinking that we are doing good. We hesitate to become a useful instrument in His hands blaming our personalities. We feel we are not cut out for whatever ministry God calls us. We feel that we don’t have confident personalities or the drive or the calling like others. In the end, we tend to focus on our weaknesses, our personalities, and our circumstances. Focus has shifted from Him to self.

Dear Saint of God, there are ebbs and flows in every Christian’s journey. In order for us to obey the commandment of Jesus: go into the world and preach the Gospel, we must keep the fire burning within us. When the fire is burning within us, then we are able to shine brightly for the world around us. Our closet faith is neither good for us nor for others. When the world sees the light of Jesus in us, then they will be drawn to Him like a moth to a flame. We must examine at what stage we are in. Let us forget who we are, what personality we possess but remember whose we are. Let us shift our focus from ourselves to Him. Let us focus on being the light of the world because Jesus declared us so.

May the true light of Jesus Christ continue to burn brightly in us in these dark days. May this light continue to draw others to Christ. May our Lord’s name be glorified through this light.

1 Peter 2: 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.