Best Books
The stories in the Bible reflect humans as we truly are, not as we aspire to be. Human nature being what it is, the Bible is filled with men and women who were noble, kind, and gracious. It is also saturated with sordid tales of greed, lust, violence, and hatred. We are a selfish and corrupt species, and the Scriptures reflect humanity as such. That’s why the grace of God is so astounding. That’s why Jesus came to save us. We are, all of us, in desperate need of transforming grace.
In his new book, God Never Gives Up On You (Thomas Nelson Publishing), Max Lucado expounds on the story of Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. Jacob was one of the great patriarchs, the man whom God renames as Israel and who fathers the twelve tribes that eventually became a nation. Sounds impressive, right? Sadly, Jacob was also a scoundrel. As Lucado points out, Jacob married two sisters but only loved one. He fathered a child with a servant girl. His family worshiped idols. His sons were prone to violence and adultery. He showered favoritism to a son who was sold into slavery by jealous brothers. He tricked his father, robbed his brother, and fled for his life from his own family. In a transaction that we would now define as sex trafficking, he bought two women as wives. He fought with everyone, and when he had an encounter with God, Jacob even fought with Him. In spite of all his failures, however, God offered grace to Jacob. Jacob, like all of us, was a person in need of God’s mercy and love.
The story of Jacob is one that teaches us not only about the flaws of humanity but of the grandeur of God. At no point in Jacob’s life did his failings and mistakes remove him from God’s love and mercy. Most of us, thankfully, do not live as scandalously as Jacob. He was a walking tornado of conflict and bad drama. But our distinction from Jacob is one of degree, not of substance. His story reminds us that we too are flawed and in need of God’s mercy. God never gave up on Jacob. Thankfully, God never gives up on us either.
-Darrel Holcombe, Owner
Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts
Colonial Promenade, Alabaster
www.sanctuarychristianbooksandgifts.com
205-663-2370
