The Winding Path of God's Providence (DD - 10 Feb 25)

The trickster gets tricked.

“God’s providence is often a mystery to us. Jacob's hardship and Laban's deceit were part of a larger plan. In His infinite wisdom, God shapes events to accomplish His will, even when we cannot understand the way He works." - Herman Bavinck

Prayer: “O Lord, our God, I give You thanks for Your sovereign grace and mercy. I confess my unworthiness and sin before You, and I ask for Your forgiveness through the finished work of Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. Grant me, O Lord, the strength to live according to Your Word, and the wisdom to walk in Your ways. May Your Holy Spirit guide me in truth and holiness, and may I find my peace and joy in You alone. In Christ’s name, Amen.”

Today’s Reading: Genesis 29

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At numerous points throughout Genesis, Jacob is guilty of using deception in order to obtain that which does not belong to him, first by offering a hungry Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright, then by disguising himself and tricking his father into giving him the firstborn’s blessing. In today’s reading, however, Jacob gets a taste of his own medicine, as Laban gets seven years of service from him for his daughter Rachel but instead gives him his other daughter, Leah. Jacob must then work an additional seven years to obtain Rachel. Just as Jacob had disguised himself as the older brother to trick Isaac, now Laban disguises the older daughter as the younger in order to trick Jacob. God was teaching Jacob a lesson about trickery and deceit, one that would be hard-learned.