God Is For Us

[0:00] A pastor's reflections. God is for us. Genesis 30 verse 6. And Rachel said, God has judged me and has also heard my voice and has given me a son. Therefore she called his name Dan. Isaiah 9 verse 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.

[0:23] Psalms 103 verse 10. He has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Rachel has finally had a son. Sort of. Unable to have children herself, Rachel's concocted a scheme whereby Jacob will bear a child with her handmaid, Bilhah. Rachel would then claim the child as her own, thereby adopting the child by surrogate. For Rachel, this was the best her own self-effort could come up with. Once the child is born, Rachel then names him Dan, meaning judged.

[1:08] Rachel has declared by this child that God was for her, that God had judged Rachel worthy and was clearly on her side. As much as Rachel wishes this to be true, one cannot simply declare God's mind for him. The question then becomes, was God really for Rachel? It's the same question we ask ourselves.

[1:34] Is God for me? Have I done enough to warrant his blessing? Will he decide for me? We then, like Rachel, begin to look at our circumstances and attempt to discern by their outcome whether we think God is for us or not. What Rachel does not realize is that God is for her, but that he is for her despite her circumstances, not because of them. Romans 5.8. But God commends his love towards us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. In the midst of our sin and rebellion, God was for us, in complete contrast to our circumstances. God worked his love towards us, that we might not only be delivered from those circumstances, but might then experience all of the love of God in spite of those circumstances. If only Rachel had understood that yes, God was for her, whether she was successful or not. Rachel believed that the arrival of a son meant that she had now received God's favor.

[2:41] But the truth of the matter was that it was not the arrival of her son, Dan, that would display God's favor, but the arrival of a greater son, the son of promise. God has judged me and has also heard my voice and has given me a son. You see, for you and I, God has judged us, heard our voice, and given us his son. John 3.16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

[3:15] What means are you looking to in your life to attempt to discern the favor of God? Stop. Stop trying to obtain God's favor through the emptiness of self-effort and circumstances.

[3:29] Instead, look to the Son. Hebrews 1.1-3 God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom, when he had by him purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Romans 8.31. What shall we then say to these things?

[3:59] Since God before us, who can be against us? Father, what a wonder to find that not only are you not against me, but you are 100% for me. Through the person of the Son of Promise, Jesus.

[4:16] Thank you for judging me righteous in his righteousness. Thank you for hearing my cry and sending the Son of Promise to secure my salvation.

[4:28] Help me to live today in the light of the favor of the Son of God, Jesus. Amen. Amen.

[5:16] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[5:38] Amen. Amen.