January 29, 2010 Genesis 30; Matthew 19

Genesis 30
Yesterday we began to contemplate how when God blesses, He adds no sorrow. We continue in that today. Rachel and Leah are constantly jockeying for Jacob’s favor, particularly to bear him children. Leah was obviously not Jacob’s favorite, yet God opened her womb. Through the process of naming her children, we can learn that she sought to obtain Jacob’s prime love by the children that she bore him. Why couldn’t she be satisfied with just the blessing of children? Do you ever struggle with feeling unloved? Leah did. I don’t think she ever felt loved by her husband. Would her drive to be felt loved by her husband have been as strong if she felt loved by God and contented herself in that love and in the limited blessing of the children that He gave her?

Rachel on the other hand felt loved by her husband, but God closed her womb. She sought desperately to obtain children. She finally resorted to the same cultural solution that Sarai used with Abram; she gave her handmaid to her husband for the night. She obtained two sons by that method but it did not satisfy. Leah’s sons found some mandrakes in the field. In ancient cultures mandrakes were considered love potions or magic charms. Rachel believed the mandrakes would bring her fertility. After Leah bore two more children (at least 2 years later), the Lord opened Rachel’s womb. Do you suppose that Rachel realized that her mandrakes did not work? If she had found her delight in the glory of the Lord, do you suppose her drive to have children would have driven her to bargaining for mandrakes or giving her handmaid to her husband.

Both Jacob and Laban wanted wealth. The Lord gave it to Jacob. Jacob came up with schemes to make his livestock more productive. It was foolishness. Laban sought to divert Jacob’s financial growth by changing his wages, yet Laban grew weak in comparison to Jacob. It was all foolishness. But God blesses Jacob anyway. How much did Jacob miss out on because of his foolishness? I don’t know, but I do know that it is the glory of God that He blessed Jacob anyway. That gives me hope. Even in my foolishness, He will bless me to accomplish His purpose. It is just a matter of how much pain I must endure because of my own foolishness. Do I content myself with His glory, or do I add sorrow to his blessing because of my foolishness? Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

Matthew 19
Some things are just impossible. One summer I had a job mowing empty lots and garbage collecting in a large mobile home park. There were over 120 lots, and over half were empty. Needless to say by the time I finished the rounds, it was almost time to start them over again. One day my mower quit working. I pulled and pulled and pulled to restart it. Try as I might, nothing would work. Finally, I prayed over the mower. I pulled the rope one more time. It started right up. I finished the day without a problem. I thought it was impossible. Was it a miracle? I don't know. But I do know that I was no longer frustrated over a non-working engine. Some things are just impossible.

Jesus hits on some impossible things here. Living with one woman for an entire lifetime for some people is impossible. Now, my wife is almost perfect. Sorry guys but there aren't many like her and you can't have her. So, I've never had to deal with the problem of an unbearable spouse. Maybe she's had to deal with it with me, but not me with her. But I've met some women whom I wonder how their husband can stand living with them. And I've met some men of whom I have wondered how their wives could stand living with them. But Jesus makes all things possible.
Some people have the gift of celibacy. I wonder how they could stand it. I was celibate until I was 22. So, I guess I've never had to deal with the problem of long term celibacy. But I know some men that have. They can tell you, "Jesus makes all things possible."

There are some people who just seem to be able to do everything right. They are morally straight, good looking, intelligent, relate well to everyone they meet, they have achieved wealth, they are athletic. It just makes one envious to know them. Jesus met one of those. He called Jesus, "Good Master." Jesus knew where the man's heart was. He revealed to the man what he was lacking.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me." It was only one more hurdle for the man to cross in order to make himself perfect. But He couldn't do it. That was the real point that Jesus was trying to make with the man. He thought he could become perfect. Jesus just showed him that he couldn't.

The disciples were flabbergasted. "Who then can be saved?" was their reply. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible," was Jesus' reply to them. It harkens back to Jesus' question to the young man who wanted to be perfect, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." Jesus is God. He could make the young man perfect. But He only does that for people who see the need and are willing to receive His power. Jesus is able to make us willing to do anything. But we must be willing to let go and let Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john