Integrity – Running After Papa

Keeping Promises (Gen 35)

Genesis 35

In reading this chapter, I was struck by the fact that God held Jacob’s feet to the fire… God held Jacob accountable for his promises. Back in chapter 28, when Jacob was in a pinch, he made a promise to God.

Gen 28:20-22 (NKJV)
20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Guess what? Everything Jacob vowed – all the “if God will… then I will…” – came true. God was faithful to completely deliver in it. Now it was time for Jacob to hold up his end – even 20 years later. It could be that Jacob forgot about his vow. It had been 20 years since he made it. It could be that Jacob was just continuing to live out his M.O. of deceiving and that he never had any intention of going back. That was what his name meant. His whole life was built around deception and scheming: Esau’s birthright; Esau’s blessing; his wives – he was deceived this time; his fortune of sheep from Laban;

Jacob may have forgotten about his vow – but God did not forget. Jacob may have intended to scam God – but God had other intentions. Not only did God remind Jacob to go back to that place, he enabled him to do so by prevented Jacob’s enemies from attacking him(Gen 35:5); blessed him again; and changed his name (again) to Israel (Gen 35:9-14). This was the second time God had changed his name to Israel (see Gen 32:28). He confirmed the change of his name from from Jacob (which means “Deceiver, or Schemer”) to Israel (which means “God prevails”).

Isn’t that just like God? He wants to bless us, just like any good Father would… but he also wants to teach us to be men of integrity… to finish what we start… to fulfill our commitments and vows… to be men of Honor…. no matter how long ago we made the promise. He wants us to recognize and know that HE WILL PREVAIL.

We’ve all done it. We’ve all send up those requests to God. Something like: “God, if you’ll just ___(Fill in the blank)___ then I will ___(Fill in the blank)___.” I know I’m guilty of it. I imagine we all are.

Challenge: Ask Father what vows are unfulfilled in your life.

Daddy, I open myself to you. I ask you to show me any unfulfilled promise I’ve made to You or anyone else that I need to make right, so I might be a man if Integrity, a man of Honor, the man you want me to be.

Running After Papa…

Keeping Promises (Gen 35)

Genesis 35

I was struck by the fact that God held Jacob’s feet to the fire. Back in chapter 28, when Jacob was in a pinch, he made a promise to God.

Guess what? Everything Jacob vowed – all the “if God will…” – came true. God was faithful to completely deliver in it. Now it is time for Jacob to hold up his end.

Jacob either had forgotten about his vow – I mean it had been at least 20 years – but God did not forget. Not only did God remind Jacob to go, he prevented Jacob’s enemies from attacking (Gen 35:5), blessed him again and changed his name to Israel (Gen 35:9-14).

We’ve all done it. “God, if you’ll just ___(Fill in the blank)___ then I will ___(Fill in the blank)___.”

Challenge: Ask Father what vows are unfulfilled in your life.

Daddy, I open myself to you. I ask you to show me any unfulfilled promise I’ve made to You or anyone else that I need to make right, so I might be a man if Integrity, a man of Honor.

Incredible Integrity

The trials of Job are all neatly wrapped up into the first two chapters of the book. In chapter one the picture of a man of enormous wealth and impeccable integrity (He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. Job 1:1 ) who was also a very compassionate and loving father who was attentive to the health of his children. (He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice. Job 1:5 ) It is not unreasonable to assume that a man of this kind of integrity and compassion, would have good relationships and care deeply for those others in his charge, those servants who worked his fields and tended to his livestock. In this single chapter his fortunes, his servants, and his children are taken from him. Yet, his integrity stayed intact.

Chapter two opens with Job’s second calamity, his health. What the scriptures do not tell us is how much time has elapsed in between his first calamity and the second calamity – the loss of his own health (One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord… Job 2:1). In the midst of the grieving process, most people have the opportunity to entertain thoughts and rationalizations that could easily lead them to blame and become angry at God. Given that Job’s second calamity may not have happened the “next day”, it is understood that Job’s integrity still remained intact at the time his health was attacked. Almost immediately upon his plague, his wife emotionally crashed. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) Yet in the midst of his grieving, the pain of the plague upon him, and his wife’s emotional crumble, Job 2:10 tells us that “So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.”

How does one get to this kind of peace and integrity? What is it like to be totally OK with WHATEVER God says, does, or allows in my life, so long as it brings Him glory?

I have to say… I, for one, am not there but there is something very appealing about being there…