May 8

A study in separation - Jacob, part 2

So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27 (NKJV)

Yesterday we were introduced to Jacob, and we saw how from the very outset of his existence, he was driven and dominated by a sense of self-preservation. It was literally in Jacob’s DNA to struggle and jostle his way towards what he wanted and felt he needed…and the environment he grew up in only added fuel to this fire.

It became clear that he and his brother Esau were very different from one another. Esau was a rugged outdoorsman who hunted, while Jacob preferred to spend his life indoors. Their parents picked up on these inherent differences, and something truly tragic developed:

And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:28 NKJV)

Isaac favored Esau because of what he was able to put on the dinner table, but Rebekah showed favoritism toward Jacob. This wasn’t a healthy environment. Jacob needed his father’s love every bit as much as he needed his mother’s love. He needed to find the affirming approval that every son longs to find in his relationship with his dad.

But it never really came, and as the years went by, Jacob’s insecurities grew. Without a close bond with his father, Jacob was like a lot of sons in today’s world—he had to feel his way around and figure out how to do a lot of life on his own. He learned to rely and depend on himself, which would eventually become something that would bring him down.

Our experiences at home and in our families play a key role in determining the kind of people we end up being. This principle plays out in Jacob’s life in an unfortunate way.

Think About It…

What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?   

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