Make It Personal

Daily Old Testament Reading: Genesis 26-29

Daily Focus Passage: Genesis 28

Jacob received the blessing from Isaac that should have been for Esau. The results of this blessing, along with several other events, led Jacob to depart from his family because of a fear that Esau would claim his life. Jacob, to this point, has been known as a deceiver. He tricked Esau out of his birthright and deceived his father, Isaac, to receive the blessing. This all occurred as Jacob lived in the house of a Patriarch of the Faith. Yet, in Genesis 28, we find that Jacob encounters the Lord personally instead of resting on his raising of faith.

RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN HOME

Jacob experienced a childhood of being raised in the household of Isaac. This meant that he heard of the promises made to his grandfather Abraham and reaffirmed them to Isaac. He learned how one must live in faithfulness before the Lord to remain in the covenant agreement. Jacob learned the proper lessons and received appropriate training but still did not encounter the Lord in a personal manner. Thus he lived guided and defined by the deceiving flesh.  

Today, people declare their upbringing in a Christian home. They speak of attending church, Vacation Bible School, and other religious activities. They talk about the good activities they participate in and how they serve in the local church. These things are not wrong in and of themselves, but they can be performed without the presence of Christ. One can have a religious identity but not know Jesus. Thus, being raised in a Christian home sets a foundation and declares the truth but does not replace a personal encounter with the Lord.  

PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD

As Jacob ran from his homeland, he encountered the Lord in a personal manner. No longer could he rest on his “good” activities or know the truth he had learned. He could not rest in the covenant promise given to his grandfather and father because he had not personally encountered the Lord. When Jacob encountered the Lord, everything changed. The truth became real, the upbringing made sense, and the covenant promise became part of who he was.

Today, people must encounter Jesus to gain the benefits and promise of the New Covenant. However, people can know about the covenant, do religious activities, and still not know Jesus. Thus, there must come a moment in everyone’s life when they choose to follow or not follow Jesus after encountering him. When you consider your life, do you merely know about the New Covenant, or have you met Jesus personally and experienced the fullness of the promise of the covenant?  

A TRANSFORMED LIFE

Jacob’s life was changed after the encounter with the Lord. This happened because when one meets the Lord personally a change or denial must take place.  When the relationship forms, the Lord changes the old dirty self with the new self and empowers the believer to carry out the task of the Kingdom of God. The Lord provides the means to receive the blessings he has in store and to carry out activities like reconciliation that come through the power of the Lord. Jacob modelled this truth for today and demonstrates that when one meets with the Lord a life is changed. Has your life been transformed by the Lord?