As we traverse the landscape of the stories God is unfolding for us, it is imperative that we begin to see our circumstances, relationships and opportunities through the eyes of God. Doing so very well determines the difference between years of trouble or success. As Jacob continued on his road to redemption, we see that whenever he took his life in his own hands, strife and frustration were the result. When Jacob opened his eyes to God's redemptive purposes, provision and blessing followed. It will be the same for us.
Trusting God on the Journey
Open your eyes to God's redemptive provision in every season of your life.
Genesis 29:1-14 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.” While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
As Jacob fled from his brother Esau, he was instructed to go to the house of Laban, his mother's brother, to find a wife and begin to build a new Iife for himself.
Even as Jacob went to an unfamiliar land, God was directing his steps to find the relationships that would lead him into the purposes of God.
Where are you today and have you opened your eyes to God's provision for you in the land?
Responding to What You See
Give up building your life by your own wisdom, the eye of the flesh.
Genesis 29:15-30 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant. 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?” Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
We have a daily choice to make decisions by what we see in the flesh or to discipline ourselves within moment by moment prayerful decision-making.
How do you make decisions in life? In relationships? With your finances? With your time? In your work and career pursuits? How often have we ended up in more than unhealthy relationships, job environments and spiritually dry seasons because we took our lives in our own hands, making decisions merely by what our eyes can see?
Leah was the one through whom Jesus would come. Rachel was an idolater. You will be affected by who you yolk yourself to.
Jacob did not expect or appreciate Leah as his wife. If Jacob had sought God, he might have been able to discern what was in her heart rather than what was under her garments.
Neglecting to seek God brings trouble and strife in the end. Because He is loving and merciful, Jesus gives us tokens in the midst of our journey - wells for connection and lifeline relationships as in the case of Leah. Will you recognize them even when they may not look beautiful to you?
Responding to What God Sees
Begin to order your life by God's redemptive Word, developing a sensitivity to the discerning eye of the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
The road to redemption: 1) Begins when we seek God and His kingdom perspective first, and make decisions based on what we see second. Always go to His word for a plumb-line and for a precedent. 2) Embrace the circumstantial surprises as part of God's providential purposes in forming your character and directing you towards His gospel ends. He always has redemption in mind for you and others when we choose to repent and obey His commands.
What are the lifelines that God is giving you to lead you to Christ and His purposes?
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,nor the heart of man imagined,what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:11-19 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Second City Church- Redemption Sermon Series 2016