Origins: The Dreamers (Genesis 25–32)Campione

### By Pastor Jeff Seward “Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.’ So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He said, ‘I am.’ He said, ‘Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.’ So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near now and kiss me, my son.’ And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: ‘Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!’” Genesis 27:21-29 (NKJV) Have you ever thought about giving God advice on the plans and direction for your life? Maybe you’ve found yourself saying, “If I was God, I would certainly do things differently!” I know I have . . . many times. We all want what God has to offer. Deep within, we all have a drive to find happiness, joy, and fulfillment in what we do and, hopefully, in what we become. As followers of Jesus Christ, we pray we’re following His will for our life’s purpose and for His blessings over our decisions. Both Jacob and Esau were striving for God’s blessings through their father. However, Jacob’s motives were impure and sinister. His whole life he had a reputation for being a deceiver and a scoundrel. As such, it doesn’t seem so unbelievable that he did not even hesitate to bring in God as a party to his deception, which affected the whole family. All four family members were involved. Chuck Smith said, “Jacob was not honorable in this whole thing. He was deceiving and lying. His father Isaac was not honorable. He was trying to contradict the plan of God. He was trying to give the blessing to Jacobs’ brother Esau, which God had said would go to Jacob. Esau has already sold his birthright. The father knew that. And their mother Rebekah was not totally honorable either. She had set up the whole deception.” Pastor Jon Courson writes, “When we make decisions based upon what we feel, smell, or see rather than upon what we hear in the Word, we will be deceived.” In Proverbs 30:7-8 (NKJV) we see a good, timely request: “Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me.” Knowing we have a fallen nature, we should all makes these same requests. When we come to the realization that our personal plans often fall short of God’s; we can be assured that His will and plans are far better and more favorable than ours could be. Remember, it’s God’s “good will” that is acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). His plans for us are always perfect. The Lord has been kind and favorable to me in my life. Reflecting on how He has led me, He has been so faithful to direct and redirect my steps over and over, year after year. Yes, He has closed doors and blocked decisions, but I have thanked Him often. Dig: Do you believe God’s will is better than yours? Discover: Read about God’s will and plans for your life (Romans 12:1-2; Jeremiah 29:11-13). Do: Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3).