Winning The Battle to Be Blessed
TODAY'S BLESSING - GENESIS 49:1-2
Faced with the coming of his last days, Jacob gathered his sons to speak prophetically into theirs. The Bible calls these proclamations, "blessings", although several would not meet our modern criteria for the same.
Some of these utterances must have been hard to hear.
Some may be hard for us to hear.
But there is a blessing for each of us in every one.
Battles and Blessings
“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel. ~Genesis 49:2, New International Version
Long before these words were spoken Jacob found himself wrestling all night long with the angel of God. Afterwards, the Mighty God changed Jacob's name to Israel, meaning "He turns the head of God". What a perfect name for one who lived a life of infamy always struggling to move from trickster to trusted.
That's who is speaking this prophetic utterance; a trickster now trusted. Someone who has been there and done that. Throughout the Bible, we continue see him referenced as both Jacob and Israel, implying that the struggle continued. So, it stands to reason that his seed would continue the cycle of rebellion in similar ways.
And yet, they were blessed.
Blessed to be chosen.
Blessed to be under God's covering.
Blessed with opportunity after opportunity to get it right.
Just like their dad.
God wants you and I to do better, to be better in the new year.
Isn't it time to go get what Heaven has for us?
It is my prayer that as we explore this and the other twelve blessings, we lean in and learn how be prepare for the blessings we say we want in the new year.