Two In One

Have you ever heard anyone accuse Jacob of being the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Bible? This way of looking at Jacob was brought to my attention recently. A very strange description of one who has such a significant role in Scripture.

Consider these facts: We see a constant struggle of good versus evil. He rises, yet falls short of his goals. His life is one constant battle between two natures: one earthbound and the other filled with divine intentions.

No one can describe his life in a single word. It is certainly appropriate to speak of Abraham as a man of faith or Joseph as a person of purity. But it does not seem possible to summarize Jacob’s many-sided life into one word unless it would be the word “inconsistent.”

His early years present a vivid picture of these inconsistencies. He was a cheat – having cheated both his father and brother. Yet, he constantly tried to do better.

He might have died as a Jekyll and Hyde, but one night he was forced to face his sins and make a decision about his future. And when he realized that he was at the end of his resources, he finally turned to God to be saved from his sins and self-destructive ways.

After that God-changing event, he went from victory to victory, with hope and help from the Lord.

There is no limit to what God can do for each of us. What He did for Jacob, He can do for us: “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” Wrestling with sin? Turn to God now!

Prayer:  How foolish we are, Father, to struggle in our own strength when Yours is available. Save us now! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Psalm 146:5