Our Mistakes Don't Have to Define Our Legacy

Remember the "what was I thinking" mistakes you made in high school and college? I do. How about the dizzying amount of judgemental words that have vomited out of my mouth? Yep, can't take them back no matter how much I wish I could. Mistakes, we have all made them. Romans 3:23-24 tells us that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." In Christ, the good news is that our mistakes don't have to define our legacy.

I previously wrote about the first three altars that Jacob built in the early years of his life. These altars reveal three characteristics of God that we can hold onto as we struggle to leave the past in the past.

Despite Our Past God Continues to Show Up
God Sees Our Pain and Offers a Way Forward
Forgiveness Wins the Day

Finish Strong Jacob

The second set of three altars are all after Jacob is reunited with his brother Esau. It has been twenty-plus years since Jacob has seen his brother Esau. Esau could have spent those twenty years stewing with anger just waiting for the chance to get revenge on Jacob. Remember when Jacob last saw Esau, Genesis 27:41 tells us that he hated Jacob and said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

‭However, in an incredible act of mercy, Esau chooses to forgive Jacob, welcoming him back home with open arms.

Altar # 1 - It Takes Courage to Intentionally Step Back Into Our Past Mistakes

So Esau said, "Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord." So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-Aram, and he camped before the city. And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel." Genesis 33:15-20 ESV

The first altar is right after Jacob and Esau are reunited and is likely Jacob's response to God for how grateful he is to God for bringing him home. Let's not gloss over how big of a step of faith; it was for Jacob to go home. It took courage for Jacob to go back home and face his brother Esau. Last he knew, Esau was ready to kill him. But at some point, with God's help, Jacob decided that the risk of going home and facing potential death was better than being shackled to his past mistakes with no way forward.

At the end of chapter 33, Jacob buys land from Hamor's sons and appears ready to settle down with his family. Sandwiched between the first and second altar that Jacob builds after being reunited with his brother Esau is a bizarre story of the rape of Jacob's daughter Dinah at the hand of Shechem, the son of Hamor. This one event leads to a series of poor decisions by Jacob and his sons that include deceit, revenge, and mass murder. These decisions put Jacob and his family in a position of trouble among the land's remaining inhabitants.

Altar # 2 - Dealing with the Sin in Our Past and Present is Necessary to Unlock God's Blessing For Our Future

God said to Jacob, "Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau." So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem. And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother."Genesis 35:1-7 ESV

Despite the poor decisions by Jacob and his sons, God in his gracious mercy steps in again with a new plan. In the text below, he gives Jacob instructions that it is time to leave and go back to Bethel, where it all began for Jacob. God reminds Jacob of the promises that he made to him at Bethel. Interestingly, part of God's new plan includes dealing with the sin that has crept into Jacob and his family's lives. God tells them to get rid of their idols and images of false gods, leaving them behind both physically and spiritually before they go to Bethel. God rewarded Jacob and his family for their obedience by providing a blessing of protection by bringing a great terror over the people around them as they traveled to Bethel.

Altar # 3 - Our Mistakes Don't Have to Define Our Legacy

"God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name." So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, "I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you." Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel." Genesis 35:9-15 ESV

God changes Jacob's name to Isreal, which means "he who strives with God." God reminds Jacob of the great nation that will come from his family and the land that he will give to Jacob and his descendants that he promised to Abraham and Isaac.

Final Thoughts

Abraham chose faith when the circumstances seemed impossible. Time and time again, Isaac chooses peace instead of conflict. Despite all of the twists and turns, Jacob doesn't let his numerous mistakes define his legacy. Are you still alive and breathing (if you are reading this, then the answer is yes)? Choose today to identify the spiritual anchor points in your life that point like arrows to the work that Jesus did for you on the cross. These spiritual anchors will allow you, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to leave the past in the past as you continue to "strive with God."

**Sample Prayer**

Lord, I know that you have forgiven me from my past, present, and future mistakes. **But with so much uncertainty swirling around me, it is so easy to fall into the trap of believing the lie that my mistakes define my life.** Like Jacob, please help me to finish strong, leaving a legacy that points people to you and you alone.

Featured Music

Bethel Music - Come to Me (Spontaneous)

Jesus alone is our anchor. He invites everyone to come to him. "Cause You are my anchor/ In these winds and the waves/ Oh Jesus/ You are my steadfast/ And I won’t be afraid." When we come to Him, we will find rest for our souls.

About the Author

Nathan Miller

You may know me as a husband, father, son, brother, friend, mentor, ultra marathoner runner, NBA basketball enthusiast, fan of all things tech, music lover and writer. However, the life blood that flows through everything that I strive to be comes from a desire for greater intimacy with Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Provider, my Lord and most of all my best friend.