Mixed Blessing – Genesis 26:34-27:40

I hope you took the time to read all 42 verses of Genesis 26:34-27:40.  It certainly dispells the notion that dysfunctional families are a product of modern society.  It’s an account of a family at cross purposes and with misplaced affections.  Not one of the indivduals mentioned does what is right.  But the one thing they are unified in, is their obsession with a particular blessing.  

 

As foolish as this “first family” of Genesis looks, God is using the mess to make a critical point.  That point is that He is even more obsessed with blessing than they are!  Really!  God is obsessed with blessing.  Perhaps more than you realize.  He’s obsessed well beyond just this passage.  He’s still intently focused on blessing today.  So, as we look at the passage this Sunday, we’ll find out exactly what blessings are, who needs them and where we can find them.

A Confident Faith – Genesis 26:12-33

Abraham lived 180 years and, essentially, only has one chapter dedicated to him in the entire Bible.  Abraham, Jacob and Joseph lived fewer years and are mentioned much more.  Chapter 26 focuses all eyes on Isaac.  And as we saw last week, the first half of the chapter didn’t paint him in the best light.  Isaac, the man of great faith and son of the great patriarch, Abraham, fell into the same sin as the great patriarch.  How can this be for a man of such great faith?

 

Isaac failed to trust the Lord with his circumstances and, yet, his slide in faithfulness didn’t hamper God’s covenant promises from moving forward through him.  Isaac’s life gives us a glimpse into the acting out of a confident faith. The quality of Isaac’s faith is not where his confidence lies.  His confidence lies in the object of his faith, the Lord.  That fact becomes apparent in this week’s passage.  It shows us several responses of Isaac’s confident faith.  I think you’ll find each one of his responses directly applicable to your own Christian faith in action.  It explains how our faith  continues to move confidently forward, even when we are less than fully faithful.