Waiting for God’s Plan

Today’s Bible reading was Genesis 27-29.  It focuses on Jacob’s deception and the consequences of his deception.  Yesterday, Rebekah, Jacob’s mom, received the word from God that Jacob would get God’s blessing even before he and his older twin, Esau, were born.  Rebekah was a good, godly woman, who had seen the faithfulness of God first hand.  Still, in today’s reading, we see she feels she needs to take matters into her own hands.  She develops a deceptive plan for her favorite son, Jacob, to get the blessing from his father.  Jacob, who surely saw God working in his life, goes along with the plan.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve always pictured this young lad listening to his mother, which would have been very important in the Jewish society of his time.  So, I can almost offer up an excuse for him choosing to be a deceiver…but Jacob wasn’t a young lad.  He was actually around 70 years old.  My thought is he surely had to know better.  Still, he chose to take matters into his own hands.  He stole the birthright and got the blessing, but he also paid the price for it.

How easy it is to say, “Good grief, he had God’s promise.  He should have known better.”  Then, God quickly reminds me, ”How many times have you thought you knew better?"

As a believer, I know God has a plan for me.  I must admit, I'm not sure what it is, but He has a plan.  Several of my friends, who are also blogging, have used one of my favorite verses in their blogs this week, Jeremiah 29:11.  “I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and to prosper you.” (My paraphrasing – but read it for yourself below.)  I believe this to be true, and yet throughout my life I’ve been so sure I can do it better than God.  Have I ever been successful at outdoing God?  That would be a big fat all caps NO.  I’ve generally, ended up like Jacob in a big mess, experiencing heartache and disappointment I wouldn’t have faced if I had just waited on God.

Waiting is very hard.  Americans, in particular, and driven people like me don’t like waiting.  We make a decision and we want action; Now!!!  So, when it seems the Lord is taking too long, we decide to help things along.  Psalm 40 says, “I waited patiently on the Lord.  He inclined and heard my cry.”  The key is waiting and listening to find out what His plan is.  I want to learn to wait, but even more I want to learn to desire what God desires for me.  His plan will be good. 

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11