Something Undeserved

Reading 11: Genesis 28

The story continues. This is quite the dysfunctional family...

Isaac blesses Jacob once more (odd...maybe he wasn't as upset with being tricked as previously thought, otherwise why bless him a second time??) and tells him to marry a daughter of his uncle Laban. (ewww..but completely acceptable in the time frame)

There is a quick shot of how Esau really prefers to please his parents rather than frustrate them. After hearing that his father dislikes Canaanite women, he goes out and marries another wife that happens to not be Canaanite (and also happens to be a relative...).

Jacob makes a vow to God that starts with 'IF'. "If God does _________, then He will be my God." If? Can one really make demands of God? Is it safe to give God ultimatums? Unfortunately I know I do it all the time. A lot of my "promises to God" begin with "If...".

I think that the stories of the OT tend to allow for a chance to 'bargain' with God. We see in person after person this thread of making covenants with conditions. Covenants that are truly attempts at upholding the original Abrahamic covenant.

Hmmmm....so, in my own life, what am I bargaining with God about?