Wrestling with Questions

As a church goer all my life, I consider myself pretty well versed in the Old and New Testament. Of course, some of my OT knowledge has a bit more of a "fairy tale" quality to it, because looking back at some of the favorite Children's Bible stories makes me realize it wasn't quite the simple, sanitized versions I learned in Sunday school.

If you are up for a challenge, I encourage you to reflect back on what Sunday School taught you about the story of Jacob and Esau. Most of the things I learned were more moral centered.

Yet when I look at this story, I now see a lot of questions. How could God favor Jacob? And inside the womb, before he was even born God decided that the older would serve the younger. Before he even did anything to secure a Esau's birthright or trick his father into bestowing him the blessing.

Then there's the whole fact that God favored someone that deceived. And blessed him for it/in spite of it!

I have heard that this is a story of God's grace and yet I don't get it. To favor one means to not favor the other, so while grace and blessing was bestowed upon Jacob, what about Esau?

Yes, Jacob struggled and had to wrestle with God for his blessing.... but what does that mean? What does it mean that he had to wrestle with God for his blessing?

A simple children's story has filled me with numerous questions. Yet I think the most difficult to grasp is God's grace.