“I look for your deliverance, Lord” (Genesis 49:18).

Many Biblical scholars don’t like this verse much. It doesn’t fit, you see. Most of Genesis 49 is the record of Jacob blessing his sons from his deathbed. In the middle of this monologue directed towards his sons, he has this line directed towards God, “Lord, I look to you to save me”. It could also be rendered, “I wait in hope for your salvation, Lord God.”

There is something very curious about this little prayer: it’s the only time the name, ‘The Lord God’, is used in this chapter. In fact, it hasn’t been used since chapter 39 and it won’t be used again until the book of Exodus. We’re talking here about the covenant name of God, through which he bound himself to Abraham and his descendants. We also know it as YHWH.

The verses surrounding our text make references to attacks. In both attacks, the targets are heels. Is that important? I think so. As you may know, Jacob was the younger twin. He was born, ‘grasping his brother’s heel’. Jacob means, “grasping the heel” (Genesis 25:26).

Jacob spent much of his life grasping for things, trying to get ahead. This resulted in the breakdown of relationships: first with his brother, then between his wives, then with his uncle and then between his sons. His sons were now following his example. He sees both Dan and Gad, the sons referenced in these verses, in tenuous positions, striking at the heel of those more powerful than they are.

Perhaps those thoughts led Jacob to express this hope for deliverance.

In this story of Joseph being sold as a slave to Egypt, the Lord God, has been relegated to the shadows. Is Jacob calling upon the Lord to come out into the open? Is Jacob saying that the only hope for his tribe when he dies is the Lord God?

“I’ve made a mess,” it seems Jacob is saying, “Lord, you will need to clean it up.” I think that this may indeed be what Jacob is saying.

And it’s a good word for today. God’s people are still much like Jacob, we make a mess of things. We grasp for things, especially power. Whether its on the school playground, in the sports complex, in the workplace, many of us get sucked in by the desire to be on the top, the most important, most accomplished. Getting to the top rarely happens without pushing others down.

Ask non-Christians what they think about us, and the response is rarely positive. The day I prepared this devotion, Bruxey Cavey made it into the local newspaper again. The church he once pastored cannot get abuse liability insurance because of the accusations against him. The ministries have been reduced to online only.

The church today is just like Jacob’s sons, messed up and making messes. We shouldn’t make excuses for any of it. Its bad and we need to acknowledge this. But there is hope, our Lord God, who has bound himself to us in Christ Jesus; he will finish his work of redemption. Like Jacob we cry out, ““I wait in hope for your salvation, Lord God.” And with the Spirit we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, come.”

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.