Former Blackout Artist

“Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.” – Genesis 27:35

Let’s be honest – this story is a real mess!

Isaac can’t see, won’t really listen, and seems determined to do things his own way. Rebekah plays favorites and cooks up a scheme that belongs in a bad family drama. Jacob lies to his dad’s face. Esau misses out and then completely loses it. Nobody looks great here. If this were your family, you’d probably tell people, “Yeah… we don’t talk much.”

And yet – God still shows up.

That’s the surprising part. God doesn’t say, “Call me when you all get it together.” He keeps working right in the middle of the chaos. Not because the lying and manipulating are good (they’re not), but because God’s promises are stronger than human foolishness.

Isaac’s blessing wasn’t some lightning-bolt message from heaven. It was just a father saying what he hoped would happen to his son. But once it was spoken, it mattered. And somehow, God decided to work through it anyway. That doesn’t mean God approved of how Jacob and Rebekah pulled it off. It just means God is really good at cleaning up messes He didn’t make.

Rebekah and Jacob thought God needed a little help. Apparently, they figured the Almighty could create the universe but might struggle with family logistics. So they grabbed, pushed, lied, and rushed the process. And yes, they got the blessing – but it came with a big price tag. Jacob had to run for his life. Rebekah lost her favorite son for twenty years. Be careful when you say, “I don’t care what it costs.” Sometimes it costs more than you expect.

Here’s the encouraging part: if God can work through this family, He can work through yours. And through you. God doesn’t require perfect parents, honest siblings, or well-adjusted children before He starts acting. He works with blind spots, bad decisions, and people who think they know better than Him.

But there’s also a warning here. God’s faithfulness does not mean our choices don’t matter. God can redeem dysfunction – but dysfunction still hurts. Lies still break trust. Manipulation still creates distance. God brings good out of it, but He doesn’t magically erase the consequences.

So if your life feels messy, take heart. God isn’t scared off by your situation. But maybe stop grabbing and start trusting. God’s promises don’t need to be tricked into happening.