Christmas Musings Day 24

Rascal Rehabilitation

Genesis 28:4-5, 14 (ESV) ⁴ May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” ⁵ Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother…¹⁴ Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

               Normally, we do not recount the story of Jacob as part of Advent. I understand why. Jacob does not play a pivotal role in the birth of the Messiah. He does hold a place in the lineage of Jesus, making an appearance in both genealogies. But we do not read about him in any of the Advent accounts; consequently, you will not find a Jacob figurine in any Nativity set. Perhaps we should reconsider. Jacob starts off as a bit of a rascal. He’s not the kind of guy you want to hang out with, or if you do, keep your hand on your wallet. In fact, when God extends His promise to Jacob, he is fleeing his brother. Despite his character flaws, God extends the promise to him and Jacob responds positively. God works with him, rehabilitating him, making him something new. So new, that God changes his name from Jacob, “supplanter,” interpreted as someone who seizes, circumvents, or usurps to Israel, meaning “contended with God.” Israel emerges from the ashes of Jacob and takes his place as part of God’s great Advent story, which gives me great hope.

               You see, those who know me most intimately know that I’m a failed person. Oh, I’m better than I used to be. Life has a way of scuffing off rough edges; but, I still have foibles, some grievous ones. But these weaknesses do not keep me out of God’s plan. As He worked with Jacob, turning him into Israel, He works with me, weaving me into the tapestry of His plan. He takes me as I am but is unwilling to let me remain a rascal. He bends with the remover to remove. So in those dark moments of self-examination when I realize the true depth of my personal failure, I can rest assured that He still has a plan to redeem my life. That is what Advent is all about, redeeming the rascals.