Scripture:
Genesis 14-23 (NIV)
So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.
He went to his father and said, “My father.”
“Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”
Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”
Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”
“The LORD your God gave me success,” he replied.
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”
Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him.
Devotional:
There villains we love to hate in movies and books. There are characters that no matter how hard they try everything always go wrong. They make bad choices and their flaws seem to be the dominant factors in their lives. Some of the best heroes in the movies are those with flaws that just seem to be in the right place at the right time. All of us have imperfections in our makeup. We have done things we are not proud of. Despite all of this God still loves us and will use us for His greater good.
God uses people in the Bible who are full of character flaws. It is through His grace that each of them have overcome and managed to become Godly men. I remember a conversation with a friend about some of the Bible greats. He was quick to point out the flaws and not see God’s greatness in them. My friend could only focus on the bad. He couldn’t see the good, God’s work in them despite their weaknesses. The Old Testament is full of people who made monumental mistakes in their lives. There is Abraham, Jacob, Samson, and David. Other’s lacked faith or were struggling with faith or fear. Regardless of the person they had flaws in their character. What made the difference? God did. They sought God. In the end God called them and they listened. Where would we be without Abraham’s great faith? Had he not had faith in God he would not have left his home. David was a man of God’s own heart. Just imagine what could have happened had David’s heart not been set on God. Maybe God used these people and had their history recorded to give us hope. We see their flaws and yet they triumphed. We see their mistakes and yet God still used them, and loved them. God forgives all sins. God loves us all. Not one of us is perfect. Each of us has skeletons in the closet. However, it is through Grace that we can find peace and salvation. If God can look past our faults, shouldn’t we do the same?
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