January - Day 12

Here are a few thoughts from my journal about the reading today - 

Genesis 29 - Rachel was a shepherd.  I think this is significant because it shows that what is often thought was a man's job, there were women who did it as well.  I think it is interesting that the shepherds told Jacob - we don't remove the stone until all the sheep are here - but then Jacob decides to remove the stone to the well himself to help water Rachel's flock.  He didn't follow tradition.  It seems that the tradition didn't make sense to him.  He felt as if tradition needed to violated in order to care for the needs of the sheep.  I feel that this is the case with human tradition in church.  There are many things that we believe or think churches should or must do that are rooted in tradition, not scripture.  We must make sure we don't neglect the needs of the church for the sake of tradition.  
Also - this family would have made a really great reality tv show.  They seem to be all kinds of dysfunctional.  Jacob's deception is what led him there in the first place, and ends up being deceived.  Deception breeds deception.  Even in the midst of a situation that seemed unfair and Jacob having to experience the natural consequences of sin, it was clear that God was still blessing Jacob.  

Matthew 5 - Jesus didn't come to lower the standards.  He raised them.  No longer was following God about the outward appearance, but about the condition of our heart.  

Acts 7 - Stephen's charge against them is that they were uncircumcised at heart.  They may appear religious by they outward behavior, but their hearts were still full of flesh.  They resisted the Holy Spirit, seeming to imply that the Holy Spirit was drawing them, but they refused.  Rejection of Jesus is a result of resisting the Holy Spirit.