Title: Jacob's Blessing
‘Jacob’ means ‘to hold the heel’.
The name comes from the fact that he was born holding the heel of his twin brother Esau when he was born in the womb of his mother Rebekah.
As such, Jacob had a competitive spirit from birth and was a greedy man.
He even deceived his brother and father to satisfy his greed.
His obsessive personality forced him to lead a life of much more twists and turns than the average person.
However, looking back on his life, we can confirm that he too was a being who received tremendous blessing and love from God.
Then, let's trace the secret of Jacob's life to receive God's blessing.
1. Pray at every crisis in life
Jacob was imperfect both personally and morally.
However, he was able to receive blessings from God because he lived a life where he never forgot to kneel before God and pray.
In every crisis in his life, he no longer relied on human tricks or tricks, and never forgot to pray to God with his will aside.
Jacob prayed when he was a righteous fugitive, prayed when he was struggling with sin, and prayed without exception when anxiety and fear blinded him.
God was pleased with Jacob's faithfulness, and he was willing to answer Jacob's prayer.
We must not forget that prayer is the key to all life's problems.
"I am with you"---a blessing mentioned also to Isaac (26:24) and a special repeated blessing again to Jacob. The promise to be with him, who was on the run, gave him courage and strength above all else. Here, the Hebrew word 'amam', meaning 'to be with', means 'to unite' and emphasizes the inseparable relationship.
Meanwhile, the name of Christ, “Immanuel” (God with us) was later coined from the very root “Amam,” and this promise was given to the disciples from Christ when he ascended to heaven.
"Keep (Shommar)"---Originally meaning 'to pay great attention', it is often mentioned as an expression of God's care and protection. This promise of protection stems from God's presence, as the saying 'I am with you' suggests.
Because God is the ruler of the whole world, He can transcend time and space and protect everyone wherever he is.
☞ The kingdom of God transcends human power and is bestowed upon those who cross the cross. - Karl Barth
☞ It's good to know where you are.
But even more important is knowing where you are going. - Q. Margagine
☞ Hell is a place full of excuses and wishes. - G. Herbert
☞ Heaven does not put that grace into bargaining. - J. Dryden
Yes Tue---Wives' Discipline
The wife of the Greek philosopher Socrates was famous for being evil.
One time, after his wife nagged Socrates, he poured water from a bucket of water on his head to see if he was still angry.
But Socrates grinned and said, "After the thunder comes the rain."
“No, how can a great philosopher live with such a wife?”
Every time he asked around, he replied:
“If you practice on a wild horse, you can handle any horse. If you can deal with your wife, what kind of people can't?"
2. Praying with a Lifestyle Determination
Jacob prayed, but he did not pray, thinking that God would be grateful if he heard it, otherwise it would be enough.
When he prayed, as if wrestling with God, he risked his life and prayed with a life-and-death decision.
Even when he reached the extreme of breaking his hip bone, he did not give up on prayer and continued to hang on to God.
You must pray like this, but you must have the assurance of answers and pray with an earnest heart that even guarantees your own life.
In that case, God will give you a gracious answer.
Although Jacob lived a more prosperous life than anyone else, he too lived with abundant blessings from God.
In other words, Jacob was able to get blessings by running to God and praying earnestly.
Jacob realized his own shortcomings and was able to obtain grace from God only by entrusting himself completely to God.
Today, we too will be able to live a blessed life by relying only on God and praying to God every day.
"I will not leave you"---At this moment, while walking on the lonely road of a fugitive, God's promise of companionship and protection was the most urgent and valuable promise to Jacob.
This promise, ? After Moses died, the new leader Joshua (Joshua 1:5), ? After David's death, to young Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:20), ? This is a promise given to the disciples whom the Lord loves (Matthew 28:20) just before His ascension.
The ultimate fulfillment was achieved through the indwelling of Christ in the saints through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament era (John 14:16; 15:26).
Yea---I'm tired now
Picture the scene inside the train on the way to and from work.
Most of the seated passengers are tired and have their eyes closed.
The facial expressions of the standing passengers are also not significantly different. As soon as you get a seat and sit down, you close your eyes.
Are you strong? Strangely, it's even harder when you sit down when you're having a hard time. Get up and run.
Tired? Don't sit down, get up. And run strong towards tomorrow.
Tomorrow belongs to the runner.