7-20-14: Stealing A Blessing

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-36a

Sunday’s reading from Genesis is not found in our three-year lectionary cycle. It recounts Rebekah overhearing Isaac promising to bless Esau and Rebekah coming up with a plan to dupe her husband and get Jacob blessed in Esau’s place. Ignorant biblical commentators have long pointed to this story in support of the idea that women are filled with guile and deceit and cannot be trusted. This story actually depicts the remarkable lengths to which a mother will go to further God’s plans when her husband is not only physically blind, but spiritually blind as well. That said, this story comes dangerously close to perilous conclusion: “The ends justify the means.” But any faithful reading of scripture reveals that platitudes and pithy answers to complex situations serve no one well. No one comes off pure as driven snow in these stories. Not even close. And maybe that’s the point. We do the best we can with what we have—and remarkably, God’s purposes move forward because of us and in spite of us. Rebekah does what she must to forward God’s promised salvation history. And that’s good news. See you Sunday.

Yours on the journey,Pastor B.J.

(Image: “Wings of Love” by Toni Carmine Salerno)