Speckled and Spotted

Gen. 30 contains one of the most intriguing stories in the Bible.  Jacob has served Laban for 7 years and received Leah as his wife.  Then he served for another 7 years to obtain Rachel as his wife.  He wants to leave Laban and go back to his home, but Laban doesn't want Jacob to leave, because Laban has seen the blessing of God on Jacob.  So Laban says to Jacob, "Name me your wages, and I will give it."  Jacob says that all he wants is to have the speckled and spotted livestock that are born. Jacob says he will remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled and spotted to another place, so only the white livestock will remain.  His wages will be only the speckled and spotted that are born.  Laban thinks this is a really good deal, as white sheep are likely to bear only white lambs.  But Jacob takes the branches of trees, and peels white strips in them, and lays them in the watering troughs for the livestock.  The livestock look at the the strips in the branches, and when they give birth, the lambs are speckled and spotted.  Then he faces the white livestock toward the speckled and spotted, and the lambs born are speckled and spotted.  And so Jacob prospered greatly with the best and strongest of the herd.  Even when Laban changed the rules to the streaked only, or the spotted only, still Jacob prospered.  The secret of this mystery is found in Gen. 31:12 where Jacob reveals that God had shown him in a dream that all the livestock born were streaked, speckled, and spotted.  This is a picture of how a vision from God can change our lives.  Jacob kept his eyes on the vision, and he kept the livestock looking at the vision, in order to receive the blessing of God.  You and I need a vision from God for our lives.  We need to keep our eyes on that vision.  We must not be distracted by unbelief, or temptation, or other things.  We must keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.  God will supply for you, and prosper your life, as you keep your eyes on Him.  Don't take your eyes off Jesus for a moment.  Know that He has a plan and destiny for your life, and He will fulfil that good work that He has started in you!  Hab. 2:3 says, "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.  Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

What is the vision that you need to keep your eyes on?