Faith of Our Fathers - Jacob:Clinging to God

Reflections from Genesis 25–32

The story of Jacob (“heel grabber”) contained in these eight chapters of Genesis illustrates the reality that people will do anything to find happiness. From the time we are first introduced to Jacob in the womb in Genesis 25 up to the closing verses of Genesis 32, Jacob is presented as one who is constantly chasing, chasing after that which he thinks will provide him with blessing and happiness. And he is willing to go to great lengths to get what he wants, even to deceiving his own father. Jacob quickly learns that chasing leads to crashing when his deception necessitates a hasty escape from his enraged brother, Esau, and when he is deceived by his crooked uncle, Laban. It’s not until Jacob meets God on his way back to reconcile with Esau that he learns to cling to God and his name is changed to Israel (“God fights”), and he learns that God is the One who will fight on his behalf, and not only his behalf, but also on behalf of the people who will be called by His name.

What are you chasing? What heel are you grabbing? What are you fighting for? What is the thing that you are willing to do whatever it takes to secure? Is it money? Is it power? Is it prestige? Is it pleasure? Is it love? Whatever it is, the sad truth is that chasing anything outside our relationship to Jesus will lead to crashing. It’s the best way to ruin our relationships, to have the abundant life sucked out of us, to achieve unhappiness. Examples of this in my life (and I’m guessing yours, too) are many. When will I stop chasing the things of this world, things that ultimately do not satisfy, and start clinging to God? In C.S. Lewis’ sermon, “The Weight of Glory”, Lewis says, “…if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Father, show me where I am guilty in this area of chasing Sometimes I rationalize it as pursuing good things: accolades on my ability to preach or teach, the favor of other folks, a comfortable lifestyle. But anything, anything that I am chasing outside of You is sin. Help me to cling to You – to be desperately dependent on You and devoted to You, and You alone. May we be a people marked not by chasing but by clinging. In the powerful name of Him who clung to a cross that we might have the right as those who believe in Him to cling to You and be called Your sons and daughters, in the name of Jesus Christ to whom belongs all praise and glory we pray. Amen.