I realize that it's none of my business, but I have some concerns about the people in the Bible that God chooses to use.
Jacob, for example, is such a poor choice. He is deceitful and dishonest. His name literally means "trickster." In every way, he is a scoundrel. And yes, he is one who is chosen to play a special part in God's plan.
After cheating his brother and securing Isaac's blessing, Jacob sets off for Haran. He is essentially running for his life; Esau is not at all happy about what has happened. As he journeys, Jacob stops for the night. He has a dramatic encounter with God and, in response, Jacob makes a vow to God.
Making a vow is good. Keeping a vow is even better. But there's something about Jacob's vow that rubs me the wrong way. Essentially, this is what Jacob says to God. I am paraphrasing, but this is the gist of the matter: "God, if you will take care of me, if you will protect me, if you will meet my needs, if you will provide for me, if you will grant me safety, if you will bring me home again one day - if you will do all those things for me . . . then I will let you be my God" (Genesis 28:20-21).
I suppose it's simply in Jacob's character to bargain and he sees no reason not to bargain with God. Because Jacob is such a key player in the story, though, I would expect to read very different words. In fact, I would expect to read something like this: "Lord God, simply because you are Lord God, I will serve you and honor you and worship you. I will do that without condition . . . simply because you are Lord God!" But Jacob will have none of that. He is more comfortable setting forth the conditions: if you will do this for me, then I will acknowledge you as God.
I'm not very impressed. God doesn't allow us to name the conditions when he calls. He simply stands before us as God and he forces us to decide. And I suppose he does that with Jacob as well. Then, however, he gives Jacob latitude to add all kinds of extras to the relationship. I half expect God to interrupt Jacob's soliloquy and shout: "Who do you think you are? And who do you think you're talking to? How dare you make demands of me?"
But God does no such thing. In fact, Scripture records no response from God at all. Jacob lays out his demands, and that's the end of it. And then the story simply moves on while God uses Jacob to accomplish his plans.
It is almost as if God is saying, "Well, it's not really the kind of faith that I'm looking for, but I will work with what Jacob can give me. Sure, I'd rather not have all these conditions, but this is the only way Jacob knows to look at life. Granted, it's not much. But I can work with very little. I can work with even this."
And God does work with this. He works with this halting, bargaining faith in Jacob's life.
And he will work with the halting, bargaining faith that we bring to him as well.
It's better, I think, to come to God without conditions. But it's pretty incredible to know that he will deal with us even when it's in our nature to bargain.
It's a good thing that Jacob is in the story. Because that means that there is room for us in the story as well.