For the next twelve weeks, we will be exploring the life of Jacob in Genesis 25-35.
Jacob's life is quite interesting. He is not much of a "hero" in the traditional sense of the word. He has his faults, failures, struggles, weaknesses, sins, and just plain foolish decisions. There is not much to admire in his life and he doesn't have any great acts of faith that make us want to tell flannelgraph stories about him in children's church.
But God loved him...and changed him...and used him for His glory.
Jacob's story is one of struggle and transformation.
Indeed, God calls Himself the "God of Jacob" which is an unusual title when you consider what the name "Jacob" means and all the failures that he had.
But in many ways, we are all "Jacobs" trying to control life, make things work, and wrestling against God's will in our lives.
And God still loves us and wants to change us and use us for His glory.
I love the story of Jacob and I pray that it is an encouragement to you and our congregation this summer.
This week, we will be exploring Genesis 25:19-28 together, Twins According to God.
It is not the best title. A better one may be Different Personalities According to God or Family Problems According to God.
Jacob and Esau are twins who are as different as night and day. And their births have a great impact on Isaac and Rebekah, mostly in a negative way.
But there is much to learn from this passage and from the story of Jacob as a whole so I pray that you will pick up a study guide and dive into God's Word this summer!
Study guides will be available in the foyer this Sunday. A $5 donation will help cover the cost of printing. You can also access a digital file online by visiting the Digital Resources section of our website, 516church.org.