Devotional Index

December Devotional

The God of Jacob

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God;" — Psalm 146:5

Have you ever noticed how often the phrase "God of Jacob" is used in Scripture, especially in the Psalms? Why would the All-Powerful-Creator-God ascribe that particular name to himself? "God of Abraham" makes perfect sense and as a reference to Jewish heritage, so does the "God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob," but the "God of Jacob?" Why Jacob? He doesn't exactly inspire thoughts of fidelity or courage but something more like loser and liar! Jacob certainly needed a God of help and hope, but so do each of us.

We all remember Jacob. He was Esau's twin brother, the younger brother who bargained with a bowl of lentils to gain a birthright. Later, with a conniving mother's help, he managed to deceive his father Isaac into bestowing the honored blessing of the firstborn son upon himself. Then, running for his life, Jacob met the Lord at a place forever after called Bethel, "the house of God," and personally committed himself to serving the Lord God of his fathers albeit with selfish motives (Genesis 27-28). After enduring well over 14 years of servitude to a manipulative father-in-law and learning lessons about God's faithfulness, the Lord instructed Jacob to return to his homeland to face a serious crisis — an elder brother's wrath.

Let's think about this situation for a moment. Jacob was the "supplanter," the "deceiver." He had the habit of putting his own interests above everyone else's, even God's, and his closest relationships were marred with lies, favoritism, and deceit. We can easily shake our heads over poor Jacob and his messed up life. Yet, God patiently and lovingly continued working in Jacob's heart, leading Jacob to discover the futility of living life on his terms. In Genesis 28:20-21 Jacob states, "If God will be with me…will keep me…will give me bread…and raiment…so that I come again…then shall the Lord be my God," but in Genesis 32:10-11 he cries out, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and all the truth which thou has shewed unto thy servant … Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother…" What a change of heart! Jacob finally admitted his weakness and fear and desperately sought the Lord's help and blessing in an all-night wrestling match (Genesis 32). Jacob has finally been driven to complete dependence upon the Lord God. God mercifully blesses Jacob and gives him a new name — Israel, a prince with God — and allows reconciliation with Esau. God humbled Jacob so that, in turn, God's grace and mercy could be poured upon him.

What about you and me? In one form or another, too much of Jacob dwells in each of our hearts. In our daily lives as well as in the ministries entrusted to us, we far too often follow our own plans and seek our own interests. Like Jacob, we want God's blessing in order to satisfy our desires rather than to bring Him glory through our submission to His will. Inevitably, daunting circumstances enter our lives, and God, in His lovingkindness, allows failure and sometimes despair and even fear to drive us to our knees crying in humble dependence upon Him, "I am not worthy…Deliver me!" He then forgives and empowers us to do His work, not our own.

God of Jacob? Yes! How wonderfully comforting to have a God that does not abandon us in our sin and failure! Truly we are a happy people to have such a faithful God who forgives, who changes hearts, and who is our help and our hope! Praise the God of Jacob!

— Andrea Koenig
Member of Bible Baptist Church of Utica, WI
Co-Director of The Access Women's Center in Madison, WI