Praise the Lord for another wonderful day. What I share with you today was a nice lesson learned through a friend of mine and the Holy Spirit. I have probably touched on this subject a time or two before in my sharing. This little epiphany came from another spiritual angle.
Today’s Prayer
Father, open our eyes that we may recognize the evidence of Your love and faithfulness all around us. Open our spiritual ears that we may more truly hear Your spoken words, and understand how getting to know You can impact our lives for the better. Open our hearts that we may be more sensitive to the needs and concerns of others. Let our spirits sense how You would have us use our time, our talents and our monies for Your glory. Help us to abandon our role as spectators and choose to be a PLAYERS for You! In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Let’s eat.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But GOD will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” – Genesis 50:24.
I was talking to a spiritual mentor of mine a little while back, when he asked me this question, “Would you consider why God referred to Himself as the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’? Why didn’t He simply say, ‘the God of Jacob’?” What a strange question, I thought to myself.
For the next couple of days I racked my brain trying to discover the meaning to this question. I had never read it in a commentary, and the Scriptures don’t really say why this is so. It became a good exercise with the Holy Spirit that led to some interesting observations – one from my mentor, one from my own insight.
First, could it be that the Lord has given us a “type of trinity” in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Abraham was considered a father figure to the nation of Israel. Isaac was the son who had to be sacrificed on the altar. Jacob was the man who had to learn to walk according to the Holy Spirit instead of his flesh. Each of these individuals had a particular relationship with God to fulfill.
My friend asked a few days later, “So, what did you discover?” I told him of my observation.
He said to me “That’s interesting. I believe that what we also see in the patriarchs are examples of three distinct types of personalities. If the Lord had cited only one of the patriarchs, we would tend to seek to model that particular leader. However, the Lord has given us three distinct personalities in whom He performed His work. Abraham was the pioneer who ventured out into unknown territory and was considered righteous for his faith. Isaac was faithful to follow in his inheritance with few ups and downs in his life. He had the fewest calamities among the three. He was called simply to be faithful to what had been already given. Jacob had extreme conflict in his life. He suffered more pit experiences than either of his predecessors. He had much conflict in relationships that became the source of his inheritance. Each of us can identify with one of these men in how God has related to them.”
God works in each of our lives uniquely and He has provided examples of lives for us to identify with from the Scriptures. Who do you identify with most in your Christian journey? Discover this for yourself. You will find encouragement as you seek to learn from someone who has gone before you. I hope this little tidbit blesses you as much as it blessed me in sharing it.
Quote of the Day
The curvature of the moral spine is an affliction which only the Great Physician can cure.
Anonymous
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James H. Taylor Sr. – Kankakee City News has published my Daily meal message for a decade.