When God Intervenes: Finding Hope in Life’s Messiest Moments

Have you ever felt like your life was a complete mess? Like you were stuck in a bad Friday night drama series where everyone seems to be making poor choices? If so, you’re not alone. The Bible is full of stories about people just like us – flawed, broken, and in desperate need of divine intervention. Today, let’s dive into one such story and discover how God works even in our most chaotic moments.

The Dysfunctional Family Drama

In the book of Genesis, we encounter a family that could easily star in their own reality TV show. Jacob, the patriarch, finds himself married to two sisters, Leah and Rachel, who are locked in a bitter rivalry. Add in a couple of handmaids and a father-in-law with questionable ethics, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

Pastor Stalnaker puts it bluntly: “This would be like a bad Friday night drama series that these people are just all messed up.” But here’s the kicker – it’s in this mess that we see God at work.

God Sees the Unloved

Leah, the unloved wife, is at the heart of this story. The Bible tells us, “When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb” (Genesis 29:31). Pastor Stalnaker explains, “This phrase, when the Lord saw doesn’t mean like the Lord just happened to glance over it. This is a very intentional wording that he sees and he’s going to act.”

Imagine being in Leah’s shoes – married to a man who clearly prefers your sister. Yet, God sees her pain and blesses her with children. With each child, Leah’s faith grows. She names her children things like:

• Reuben: “The Lord has looked upon my affliction”
• Simeon: “The Lord has heard”
• Judah: “This time I will praise the Lord”

God Remembers the Barren

While Leah is having children, Rachel remains barren. She cries out in desperation, “Give me children, or I shall die!” (Genesis 30:1). It’s a raw, honest plea that many who struggle with infertility can relate to.

But here’s where we see God’s grace shine through. Pastor Stalnaker points out, “Then God remembered Rachel. And God listened to her and opened her womb” (Genesis 30:22). The amazing part? Rachel had done nothing to deserve this blessing. In fact, she had tried all sorts of worldly methods to conceive. Yet God, in His kindness, intervened.

God Blesses the Worker

The story doesn’t end with family drama. We also see God intervening in Jacob’s business dealings with his father-in-law, Laban. Despite Laban’s attempts to cheat him, Jacob prospers. The sermon notes, “Thus the man increased greatly. The words increased greatly are literally exceedingly, exceedingly.”

This wasn’t because of Jacob’s cleverness or Laban’s generosity. It was God fulfilling His promise to bless Jacob. As Pastor Stalnaker reminds us, “God had promised to bless him in chapter 28 verse 15 and we see this coming to fruition.”

The Takeaway: God Intervenes Despite Us

So what can we learn from this messy family saga? Pastor Stalnaker sums it up beautifully:

1. “God can intervene in your home life in spite of being rejected by those that are closest to you.”
2. “God can intervene in your home life in spite of broken relationships.”
3. “God intervenes even in spite of failure in leadership.”
4. “God can intervene in our business endeavors.”

The most encouraging part? God does all this not because these people deserved it, but because of His faithfulness and grace.

Putting It Into Practice

How can we apply these truths to our lives today? Here are some practical steps:

1. Acknowledge God’s control: Take a moment to recognize that God sees and knows your situation, just as He did with Leah and Rachel.
2. Examine your heart: Pastor Stalnaker challenges us to ask, “What reveals the idols of your heart? What would you say ‘give me blank or I die’?” Identify areas where you might be putting something above God.
3. Trust and obey: Even when circumstances seem hopeless, choose to trust God and follow His leading, just as Jacob did in his business dealings.
4. Embrace God’s intervention: Remember, as Pastor Stalnaker says, “God must intervene in our spiritual endeavors.” We can’t change ourselves, but we can open our hearts to God’s transforming work.

In conclusion, no matter how messy your life may seem, remember that you serve a God who specializes in intervening in the midst of chaos. As 2 Timothy 2:13 reminds us, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” So take heart – your story isn’t over, and God is still very much at work.