Genesis 25:30–34; 26:34–35; 27:36; 32:26

How do you secure for yourself a blessing from God?

"30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright." (Genesis 25:30–34)

"34 ¶ And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah." (Genesis 26:34–35)

"36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?" (Genesis 27:36)

"26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." (Genesis 32:26)

And here's the introductory commentary to this week's reading assignment: "March 2–8: “Let God Prevail”Genesis 24–33" :

"How do you secure for yourself a blessing from God? You might say that the account of Jacob, grandson of Abraham and Sarah, is the story of a man who learned the answer to that question. In a culture where the firstborn son received a birthright blessing, Jacob was born second, grasping the heel of his twin brother, Esau. The name “Jacob” means “supplanter”—one who replaces someone else. Jacob lived up to that name by trying, more than once, to supplant Esau as inheritor of the birthright blessing because Esau was unworthy of it (see Genesis 25:30–34; 26:34–35; 27:36). The result was discord in the family, and Jacob had to flee for his life into the wilderness.

Years later, God commanded Jacob to return home. On the way, Jacob, in humility, again sought a blessing from God. The scriptures describe this time as a “wrestle” for Jacob, and he declared that he would not give up “except thou bless me” (Genesis 32:26). Then came the lesson—and the blessing. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel—meaning, among other things, “let God prevail.” Israel learned that to receive God’s most valuable blessings, His covenant blessings, it’s not necessary to supplant someone else. His blessings aren’t purchased or seized or won. He gives them freely to all who live up to the name of Israel—who let God prevail in their lives."

I can secure a blessing from God as I allow God to prevail in my life just as Jacob did. I did secure or make certain that I receive the most valuable blessing from God—entering the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in His house—by choosing to align my life with God's will and trusting in His timing, which enable myself to become the right person for the right person for me to marry. As I became the right person, the right person for me came along. By giving up control of the timeline for me to receive the blessing of marriage, letting go and letting God, while focusing on becoming the right person myself, the blessing I've been longing for came naturally. The many years of heartbreak during my younger years were a necessary step for me to go through to shape me into the right person, someone who lets God prevail.