阅读经文 

雅各是谁？在这段经文中，他假装成他的兄弟以扫，以得到父亲的祝福，这祝福包含了从神而来的特别应许。他两次公然对父亲谎报自己的身份。他还撒谎说神帮助他打到了野味，而实际上他根本没去打猎。我们可以想像，雅各在父亲吃东西时紧张地等待着，想着很快以扫就会回来，这些谎言就会被拆穿。

雅各显然是一个欺骗者，他撒了一个又一个的谎来欺骗他年迈的父亲。他甚至还伪造了自己身上的气味，那种“田地的香气”使以撒想起神的祝福。雅各想把自己扮演成一个值得父亲认可的人，但他还不值得被信任，以得到神所应许那丰盛的恩典和祝福。

但是，我们和他难道不一样吗？我们难道不是经常对他人和自己谎报自己的身份吗？我们认为神对我们的成就印象深刻，我们总在表面上显出自己是个大好人。我们隐瞒自己的罪，和对他人的伤害。我们也还没有“闻起来”像得到神祝福的人。（参林后 2:15）

你究竟是谁？只有在基督里我们才能找到自己的真正身份：一个欺骗者，一个需要神恩典的罪人。今天，让我们诚实地面对神，来接受祂的恩典和赦免吧。

Who is Jacob? In this passage, he pretends to be his brother, Esau, in order to receive his father's blessing, which includes special promises from God. Twice he blatantly lies to his father about his identity. He also lies about God helping him on a hunt that never happened. We can imagine Jacob nervously waiting while his father eats, knowing that in just a short time Esau will return and these lies will be revealed.

Jacob was clearly a deceiver, adding one lie to another to trick his aged father. Jacob even faked the way he smelled, and that "smell of a field" reminded Isaac of God's blessing. Jacob wanted to portray himself as someone worthy of his father's approval, but he was not yet someone who could be trusted with the gifts of abundance and blessing that God had promised.

But are we much different? Don't we often lie about our identity to others and to ourselves? Thinking that God will be impressed with our achievements, we dress ourselves in the claim that we're pretty good people. We lie about our own sins and the harm we do to others. And we too do not (yet) "smell" like the One who has received God's blessing . (see 2 Corinthians 2:15)

Who are you? Only in Christ can we admit our true identity: a deceiver, a sinner in need of grace. Be honest with God today, and receive his grace and forgiveness.