Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob
– Genesis 25:26
When we are natural, like Jacob, we see ourselves equal to God. Just because we kneel down and pray to God doesn’t mean we are submissive to Him. In fact, the way we pray often causes God to groan within us. God has demands on us and we have demands on Him, too. We don’t fear God. We don’t think He is the Most High, the glorious, fearful, and purposeful God.
We think God is like our boss and we have a business relationship with Him: “If You give me peace, I will read the Bible. If You give me joy, I will testify of You to others. If You won’t be with me, I will go to the movies.” Some touch the Lord, but after two days, they no longer sense His presence. They begin to complain, “Lord, it is Your turn to come to me.” They don’t know God’s authority. They feel they are like God.
Adapted from A Sketch of Genesis, by Titus Chu, page 145.
Tomorrow: “The Prevailing Natural Man (4)”