2009 - Day 23 - God's Direction

January 23, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: God’s Direction

Passage of the Day: 42: 1 – 12 … Go to this link, read and study this passage …

My Journal for Today: When I read this passage, in the NKJV, I was struck first by the fact that the name of the father, “Jacob,” after reading his name used in this way, in verses 6 – 12, God’s word refers to the old man with his post-wrestling moniker of “Israel.” I say this because I was led this morning back to Genesis 32 where I re-read of Jacob’s encounter and wrestling match with a Man who was God, likely a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. And after that struggle with God, Jacob’s name, which in Hebrew means “one who deceives,” was changed to “Israel,” which means “one who struggles with God.”

And here in our passage for today as Jacob’s name, "Israel" is used, we can see why these names are so revealing of the character of Joseph’s dad. It was in Jacob’s sin nature to be a deceiver; and God had recognized long before this, by changing Jacob’s name to “Israel,” that this man would struggle with his Lord for direction and blessing all of his life. Jacob was such a stubborn man; and in our passage for today we read [see verse 10] that his son Judah noted that his Dad’s personal struggles, his fear and delay, had put their family in jeopardy. And then we see how “Israel” once again set up a plan, a scheme, which somewhat deceptively would try to cover all the angles as he finally decided to send his boys back to Egypt for more provisions.

As I read this and meditate on the implications of this study, I find myself wanting to say to Jacob/Israel, “Just find God’s direction, and follow it!” And that is what Swindoll is pointing his readers toward in his discussion of this passage. So often I am like “Israel,” procrastinating in fear, and seeking within myself to come up with my own way; and all God desires is for me to do is what old Solomon wrote to his son (and to us) in Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Why, so often, do I find myself seeking the path within myself? And then when I finally make a decision, I don’t even consider God’s will or direction for my path. And like old “Israel” here, I often try to scheme my way – even wrestling with God as did Jacob in the past – to cover all the bases with MY way so that I can get God’s blessing with MY decisions. And all God wants for me is to seek HIS way; and we know from His word (again see Prov. 3: 5-6 as well as Psalm 37: 4 and James 1: 5-6) that when we surrender to God and seek His way, expecting that we will get His wisdom, He will – through His enabling grace - reveal HIS way … THE way.

What I am reminded of from my time with God here this morning, and need to learn more permanently, is that I need to stay in “surrender mode” in my life, rather than reverting to doing things, in the words of the old Frank Sinatra song, “MY WAY.” All I have to do is compare Joseph’s “M.O.” to Jacob’s. Joseph was in continual surrender mode to His Lord; but Jacob was always looking within himself for God’s way. The former will always work – the latter, never! When we surrender to God’s will and His way, usually finding it through His word [see Joshua 1: 8], we will save a lot of time; and often we don’t have to find out the hard way as Jacob did when God had to give “Israel” a permanent and painful disability for the man to receive God’s blessing. Personally I’d rather learn my lessons gracefully …without the pain.

So, I hope that I can learn this lesson and seek out God’s direction rather than relying on my own – very painful - way.

My Prayer Today: Lord, make Your way my highway! Amen