(This is part three of a reflection from Genesis 27-28. Here are Part One and Part Two)

Observation Two: God knows us, inside and out. God knows us and even with that knowledge, loves us. Because of his goodness, not ours.

But here’s the mistake we make.

We think we need to keep a surface goodness, and try to impress God with that. But I think that’s because we are afraid that we’ll try to be better deep down and we will fail and then someone will know us and won’t love us.

So when we think that God will love us more if we are gooder, we’re setting ourselves up for comparison and competition about our goodness that is unnecessary.  Because he loves us now.

Observation Three: There is an invitation to live differently, to live up to who we can be in God’s eyes.

He didn’t leave them alone, of course. There were consequences to their some of their choices. But that didn’t change the promise.

Paul says we can live by the spirit. Because of God’s power in us, we can learn to live without constantly getting into trouble, we can learn to be caring and compassionate and couragous.

Observation Four: God knows that our lives are full of confusing pain. Some of it is our fault, some of it is not.  So the presence of obstacles and opposition doesn’t mean that God is mad at us.

Some people think that. They think that sickness is God trying to get their attention. It may simply be our bodies getting our attention for a series of unwise choices. Or our bodies responding as bodies do in the presence of a virus.

But those moments of opposition and obstacles ARE opportunities to listen for God’s intentions. And to seek God’s strength. And to remember that God knows.

Many of us are Jacobs, in between here and there, wondering what’s next and who knows and who cares.

Though it may not feel like it, God knows and cares.