How are you? How is your week going? Have you enjoyed God’s favor on your life through Christ?
There are times when my children want me to see them perform a certain feat. It might be as simple as jumping on one foot or writing a letter of the alphabet. They want me to see them complete the task, but not only that, they want me to affirm them. I can see it in their eyes. I know that they desire my approval, because I wanted the same thing from my parents, growing up. I don’t think I grew out of it, because I still look for that approval in my loved ones or in the people around me.
This past Sunday, we looked at the story of Jacob when he pretended to be Esau to receive the blessing from Isaac. He was the one who should have received it anyway, according to God’s prophecy in Genesis 25. However, because of Isaac’s idolatry of Esau, Isaac made a secret plan to work around the plan of God to bless Esau, his favorite son.
You can imagine Jacob’s joy and sorrow at this moment. He finally received the approval and favor of his father. He never received it throughout his life. Isaac always loved his brother more. And at the moment of the deception, Jacob saw this love in Isaac’s eyes and heard it in Isaac’s voice. However, it must have been so sorrowful, because he knows that this favor and approval were not for him but for the person he was pretending to be.
Our longing for approval and favor is deeply rooted in our hearts, as it is a reflection of the approval we need from God. However, because of our sin, God cannot favor us or approve of us. The only way we can receive this approval from God is very much like Jacob in that we need to wear someone else’s clothes. We need to wear Jesus’ cloaks of righteousness, and Jesus wears our cloaks of sin on the cross. The switch needs to happen so that we can come before God and receive His good pleasure.
However, unlike Jacob, we don’t need to be sorrowful, because we know that God is not mistaken in His love for us. He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that He can take our place. That was God’s plan to save and redeem us. It wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t a ploy from our end. It was God’s heart and intent to love and favor us from the very beginning.
New Life, take some time this week and enjoy the love and favor that God has for you in Christ Jesus. The switch wasn’t a mistake. It was the plan of God for you, so that He can bring you into His family. May that be our foundation for today and our hope for tomorrow.
See you on Sunday for Lord’s Day Worship. Please be sure to come out to Topical Study afterwards!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
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