Sir Walter Scott wrote, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." In Genesis 27, we read a sad story about deception in Isaac and Rebekah's family—no one in this family trusted one another. They were one dysfunctional family, but God functioned in spite of that dysfunction.

The Lord had told Rebekah that her younger son Jacob would one day be in charge, and "the older [would] serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Despite this, Isaac intended to bless Esau without Rebekah's knowledge, and Rebekah was determined to override his wishes and steal the blessing for Jacob.

Esau was Isaac’s choice, but he wasn't God's choice. God decided to reverse tradition, but Isaac tried to make sure that didn't happen. He decided to go against the revealed will and word of God.

At this time, Isaac was 137 years old. He'd lost his eyesight and believed his death was imminent. So he sent Esau out to hunt game and make him some savory food. And Rebekah concocted a scheme in which Jacob disguised himself as Esau, because Isaac was blind and would give him the blessing.

Here's a human being trying to help God out. God said, "the older shall serve the younger," and Rebekah thought, "How am I going to make this work?" But she wasn’t supposed to make it work.

If God said He'll do it, He'll do it. With or without you, through you or not through you. You don't have to manipulate or connive or help God out. It’s a trap a lot of us fall into, thinking the end will justify the means: Knowing the Word of God, doing the will of God, but not doing it in the way of God.

Does it matter?

Well, just ask Moses. In Exodus, God told Moses he would be the deliverer of the children of Israel. So when he saw an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew he thought, "I'm the deliverer," and killed the Egyptian. When he was found out, Moses fled to the desert for forty long, lonely years. All because he tried to help God out.

Or ask David. When he brought the ark of the covenant back from Philistine country up to Jerusalem (see 2 Samuel 6), he put it on a cart. And when the ark started tipping, Uzzah tried to steady it. He had the best intentions, but as soon as he touched it, God struck him dead. When David read through the Scripture, he discovered that God had specific instructions for moving the ark. That was God’s way.

Knowing God's Word and doing God's will but not doing it in God's way, is not good. You are to wait on God, seek His will, and read His Word. You are to have the right motivation, and you are to do it God's way. If you don't, you will reap what you sow. Jacob discovered this later in life when his own sons deceived him and sold their brother, Joseph, and told their father he'd been killed (see Genesis 37).

"There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand" (Proverbs 19:21). God is sovereign—He does what He does. If God said it will happen, it's going to happen, even though we may want to prevent it, or do it a different way.

Always seek the mind, the heart, and the ways of God: What is God saying? What does He want? What is the next step? It’s the most effective way to get things moving.

Are you waiting on the Lord?