God Never Gives Up on YouSample

Taking Shortcuts

No family is perfect. Even the best ones have branches of the family tree that go rogue. When you consider your own family, you can surely think of an aunt or great-grandfather who was a black sheep or left a less-than-perfect legacy. We find families like this in the Bible as well. Yes, even Biblical families had their problems and their problem-causing characters! Humans are all broken, and these ancient families were no exception.

Jacob is a perfect example of a member of a great family who left a less-than-perfect legacy. He had a reputation for taking shortcuts. Before he was born, God promised that he would be a leader of a great nation (see Genesis 25:23). But instead of waiting for God to fulfill the promise, Jacob (with the help of his mother, Rebekah) took matters into his own hands. He strategized to secure his brother’s birthright and then outright stole his brother’s blessing. Rather than waiting, he took. Rather than asking God to make a way, he made a way for himself. The story didn’t end well.

Shortcuts are tempting. God does not operate on our preferred timelines, so when we see an opportunity to take matters into our hands, we often do. But there is a reason why God calls us to wait—and there are consequences for not waiting. In particular, as we will see in this first session when we fail to trust in God’s promises and try to rush His Timeline, we typically only end up bringing misery to ourselves and to the people we love.

Reflection

The Bible reveals that Jacob was impatient and often took shortcuts. How did he scheme with his mother, Rebekah, to deceive his father, Isaac? What did Jacob receive from Isaac as a result? What were the consequences of their actions?

It’s easy to fault Jacob for his foolishness. But what about you? When have you taken a shortcut because you grew impatient with waiting on God? What happened in that situation as a result of your impatience?

Sketch out your perception of your family tree. Draw sturdy branches, crooked branches, small branches—whatever represents your family. For your branch, draw the type of legacy that you hope to leave.

Prayer

Praying for one another is one of the most important things you can do for others. Spend some time praying for your family members. If you don’t know how to pray for them right now, consider contacting them to ask them.