#DailyDevotion Nothing Can Forestall God’s Promise To You

Lent Day 17 Monday

Read Gen 29:1–30

Gen 29:25-28  And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”  …(27)  Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”  (28)  Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

 

You may be thinking, well that’s good for Jacob after deceiving his father and stealing his brother’s blessing. But remember, the blessing was Jacob’s to begin with as the Lord had promised. You might also be wondering about what Laban is doing. Was there some custom there at that time that the oldest had to be married first? We don’t know. It certainly seems as if Laban is looking for an easy way to marry off a daughter whom he might not be able to get married easily. We do see that Laban certainly is a crafty man in all his dealings with Jacob.

 

But here we see how God works all things out for good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8) For in Laban’s craftiness, the Lord is working out the blessing he gave to Abraham and to Jacob. Jacob now has two wives and their maids will be his concubines. From these four women the Lord will bestow upon Jacob twelve boys and one girl.  These twelve boys will become twelve tribes who multiply in the land of Egypt whom he will bring back to take the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

So what is going on in your life? Do you think the Lord is withholding his blessing from you? Do you think Jesus is not fulfilling his promises to you? You may first go back to the Scriptures and see if Jesus ever made you any such promise. But we know this, whatever promises the Lord has made, they are all yes in Jesus Christ.(2Cor. 1:20) You may think the world is acting against you as Laban was Jacob, but God is using the evil and the suffering to accomplish his good purposes and fulfilling his promises to you.

 

Remember also, this world is not where our treasure lies or our fulfillment. The new heavens and the new earth at the return of Christ Jesus is where we look to and have our hope in. Everything in this world is passing away. Our truest hope is not for today but the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Heavenly Father, even as you used crafty Laban to fulfill your purpose, may we see the fulfillment of your promise that you will work all things out for our good and to that end grant us greater faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.