Day 4 of Week 6

October 22, 2008
Day 4 of Week 6
Speckled Blessings
 
Today's Treasure: Genesis 30: 43
In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants, and camels and donkeys.
 
What has been the wildest part of this journey for you personally and why?
For me, understanding God's sovereignty and how it works through ordinary people like is the wildest part of all we have read. I mean, Abraham and his family all made mistakes. The one common thread is their faith and commitment to God. I can do that!!! There is hope for me yet!!!
Read Genesis 30: 25 - 43
Today's lesson speaks volumes to those of us who do not like to sit back and allow God to do His thing!!! Jacob begins longing for home, and he wants to return to the land of his father with his family. Jacob has been working for Laban for many years now, and Laban has been very blessed by God because of Jacob's presence. He does not want to let Jacob go because he knows that Jacob is the reason for his prosperity. In this reading you get the idea that Laban is not concerned about losing his daughters or grandchildren. His main concern is losing his connection with the God that blesses His people. So, Jacob decides to make Laban an offer. They would divide up their flocks. Laban would receive the solid colored animals and Jacob would receive all the animals that were spotted or speckled. This seemed like a great deal to Laban because it was more common in their area of the world for these animals to be solid in color. Over time, Jacob began this ridiculous ritual of placing branches in the water trough when the strong animals came to water. When they mated, strong offspring were born to the speckled and spotted animals. So, Jacob's flocks increased while Laban's flock dwindled.
Now let me ask you. Do you truly believe the branch that Jacob put in the trough was the reason the animals came out speckled or spotted at birth? I don't think so. That's like me telling a woman who is expecting to drink kool-aid every day of her pregnancy and she will have a girl!! God was the reason for the offspring being speckled or spotted and the tremendous increase in Jacob's flock. He promised to bless Jacob and keep him as he tried to return home. This was God's way of taking care of Jacob and increasing his numbers. Jacob had absolutely nothing to do with it. Yet, he felt as though he had to do something to help God in the task of increasing his flocks so he could leave for home. If Jacob had decided to sit back and enjoy the wonders of God's hand, the same offspring would have been born.  
Don't we often feel as though we have to step in and handle things for God because he may not get it exactly right on his own? I know I am very guilty of doing this!!!
Laban was not about to let his direct access to wealth leave him. He was willing to make any deal with Jacob to keep him around. Yet, God worked this "deal" out for the good of Jacob, who loved Him.  
Have you ever tried to "set God up for success" or come up with a formula for blessing?
Oh, yes I have!!! You know, I have to admit that I have worried about how outspoken I have been about my faith that God WILL heal me of this cancer. In the back of my mind, Satan makes me wonder if I am messing God up if I end up dying from this disease. He asks me what on earth unbelievers will think if God does not deliver me from this disease. He tries to convince me that they will look at my story and ask themselves why I believed in a God that did not heal me. So, I begin to question whether I should be so outspoken about my faith in God. Ultimately, I have decided that there are three ways God can heal me of this cancer. I could have had some cancer cells in my body that He healed before they were even detected. In this way, I never would have known I had cancer, and He would have healed (protected) me from the fire. But, would I have missed and intimate walk with my Savior in return for that healing (protection)? Yes! Secondly, God can heal me through the fire. This is what I believe is happening in God's will. He did not protect me from finding out about/knowing about the cancer because there was a lesson to be learned in it. I have drawn so close to Him through all of this, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. I have truly learned what peace is, and I have learned how to place my concerns at the feet of my Savior and walk away from them. So, I am going through this fire, and He can very well save me through it. The other option is being healed by the fire. Unbelievers have a difficult time with this one. Even believers have a difficult time with this one. I would be lying if I tried to tell you that it is the option I am ready for. Yet, if I am healed by the fire it will mean that the cancer will be my path to complete healing by death and a return home to be with my Father in heaven. So you see, God's Will has complete healing in it for me. I just don't know yet what that path will be. What do I believe it will be? With all of my heart I have an amazing peace that He will heal me through the fire. I believe that my body will be restored and I will have many years on this earth with my family. Yet, who am I to question the perfect Will of God? So, I carry on knowing that, no matter what, my battle is won!
 
Thank you for sharing time with me today!
I love you all so much, and I thank God that you care enough about me to let me express my opinions with you!  
In Him,
Tiffany